Kalamazoo Symphony Presents Passionate Works by Leshnoff and Mahler

    KALAMAZOO, MI, March 07, 2019 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra's exploration of fifth symphonies continues Saturday, March 9, with "Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor," by Gustav Mahler. The concert opens with the "Clarinet Concerto 'Nekudim,'" by modern American composer Jonathan Leshnoff (JonathanLeshnoff.com), featuring KSO Principal Clarinet and Artist in Residence, Georgiy Borisov, as soloist. KSO Music Director, Julian Kuerti, will conduct the orchestra. Maestro Kuerti replaces the previously announced conductor, Bramwell Tovey, who is unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances. Tickets are available through the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office, or at KalamazooSymphony.com.

In his clarinet concerto, Leshnoff explores the connection of breath to words, music, and life. Nekudim in the Hebrew alphabet are the lines and dots representing vowels, the breaths and sounds that give life to consonants. Similarly, a clarinet remains silent until the musician breathes sound through it. Leshnoff's concerto demonstrates the individual experience a soloist offers by breathing music—life—into his instrument. Mahler's fifth symphony, written while Mahler recovered from a serious illness and found love, reflects his emotional journey through rage, sorrow, passion, joy, and tenderness. Through the piece, the audience will experience Mahler's internal drama, turning tragedy into triumph.

Sensory-Friendly Tools Available
There are people throughout our community who may not feel comfortable in a concert setting and miss out on the wonderful musical experiences available through the Kalamazoo Symphony. To help make our events more accessible, your KSO is piloting a sensory-friendly initiative, including making sensory-friendly tools available during our March 9 concert. Tools include headphones, earplugs, sunglasses, and fidget tools. By using them, some children or adult patrons may be able to enjoy the performance more comfortably. These tools will be available to borrow before the concert and during intermission at our marketing table located in the Grand Tier near the elevator and walkway to the parking garage.

Concert Schedule and Tickets
The Wiser Financial Concert Prelude, a popular pre-concert talk held from 7-7:30 p.m. in the auditorium, is free for ticket holders and provides insights into the program's music and artists. Following the prelude, at 7:30 p.m., the evening's Student Showcase features the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Quintet, directed by Carol Corey and coached by Bill Wheeler. Find them in the Grand Tier lobby. The concert begins at 8 p.m., and is immediately followed by the KSO's new, immersive AfterWORDS discussion with Kuerti and Borisov in the auditorium.

Tickets start at $24 and may be purchased online through the KSO's box office, or by calling the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office at 269.387.2300. Student $5 Rush Tickets, with a valid student ID, are available at the Miller Auditorium Ticket Office the night of the concert. Visit the KSO at kalamazoosymphony.com for performance details, ticketing and schedules. Prices, artists, dates, times and programs are subject to change without notice.

The KSO receives major support from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation and the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. The KSO also is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The KSO also receives generous support from other local, state and national foundations, as well as private and corporate support.

About the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1921, the KSO (kalamazoosymphony.com) is Southwest Michigan's premiere musical organization and the state's third largest orchestra. Serving Michigan's fourth largest metropolitan area, the KSO provides more than 30 concert performances each year, reaching more than 80,000 adults and youth annually with exceptional symphonic music and world-class guest artists. With an equally vibrant educational mission, the KSO offers school-based programs that music teachers rely on to support their curriculum and after-school programs that have been recognized by the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards and Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. The KSO has won numerous awards and grants, including the Met Life Award for Arts Access in Underserved Communities, and a major Ford Foundation grant to establish its innovative Artists in Residence program.

MEDIA CONTACT: Julie White, (269) 349.7759, [email protected]

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