Our sizzling “Latin Nights” program features five works by Latin American and Spanish composers. We open with Moncayo’s wild Huapango, based upon the dance music of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Guest Artist Franklin Cohen, who served for 39 years as the principal clarinetist the Cleveland Orchestra, then joins the San Juan Symphony to perform the second clarinet concerto of Oscar Navarro (Oscar Navarro Music). Following the Navarro are a pair of intermezzos from Spanish stage works: a lively piece from the comical La boda de Luis Alonso by Giménez, and a more lyrical excerpt from the opera Goyescas by Granados. We end with Suite No. 2 from Manuel de Falla’s dazzling ballet, The Three-Corned Hat.
We are grateful for the support of our Concert Sponsors, notably our friends at San Juan Regional Medical Center.
San Juan Symphony Orchestra packages musical box of chocolates
This week, the San Juan Symphony has creatively packaged four events around Valentine’s Day. The orchestra has scheduled three exactly on Thursday, and its big weekend concert pair in Durango and Farmington follows. Sounds like a good way to treat oneself to a musical box of chocolates.
At the center of this extravaganza is Franklin Cohen, former principal clarinetist in the Cleveland Orchestra. Cohen’s professional career began when Leopold Stokowski chose him as principal clarinet for the American Symphony Orchestra. Later, he moved to the Baltimore Symphony before his tenure at the Cleveland Orchestra. With close to 200 performances here and abroad, Cohen has an international reputation as one of the world’s finest clarinetists. He has recorded with Decca and Deutsche Grammophon and is co-artistic director of ChamberFest Cleveland, a summer festival that launched in 2012.
On Valentine’s Day, Cohen will give a master class to Fort Lewis College students at 12:30 p.m. in Roshong Recital Hall. If you’ve never observed a master class, sample this one partly because it’s free and you’ll learn a lot about music, the clarinet and how a professional mentor engages students.
Later in the afternoon, Cohen will give a recital as part of the FLC Artist-in-Residence program. At latest report, the program consists of Gershwin preludes and works by Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Guastavino and Poulenc’s “Sonata for Two Clarinets,” which Cohen will perform with his colleague Lori Novato, symphony principal and member of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Cohen will close with the theme from “Schindler’s List.” Pianist Lisa Campi Walters will assist.
Immediately after the recital, Conductor Thomas Heuser will give his usual pre-concert lectures, playing recorded excerpts and sharing nuggets about works on the weekend concerts.
“Latin Nights” is the umbrella title for the pair of concerts in Farmington and Durango on Feb. 17 and 18. The orchestra will largely perform Latin American and Spanish dance music inspired by various forms of the zarzuela, huapango and seguidilla of “Carmen” fame. Works by Manuel de Falla, Enrique Granados and others fill the program. In addition, Cohen will join the orchestra for a rare performance of Oscar Navarro’s Second Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra.
“Overall, the music or these Spanish and Latin American composers is absolutely thrilling,” Heuser said. “It’s intuitive and beautifully colorful. Navarro’s concerto puts the solo clarinet to the test with exotic flourishes, arabesques, and feverishly fast playing.
“Franklin is one of the greatest living clarinet players,” he said. “I expect he will cast a spell that will leave us all breathless.”
21 February 2018 - 6 PM
VIP Stefan Harg Recital at the Buffet New York Showroom
23 February 2018
Catherine Hudgins, clarinet and William Hudgins, Solo Clarinetist in the Boston Symphony, clarinet soloists in performance of DANIEL CROZIER Concerto for Two Clarinets and Orchestra (World Premiere)
Winter Park, Florida
Concertos by Candlelight: The Classical Romantic
Knowles Chapel comes alive with an evening of sublime melodies and exciting virtuosic concertos featuring Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto, the rarely heard Romanze for Viola by Max Bruch, the dramatic Cello Concerto in a minor by Saint-Saens, and the world premiere of Daniel Crozier’s Concerto for Two Clarinets—all accompanied by the Bach Festival Orchestra.
ON THE PROGRAM
JOHANN HUMMEL
Trumpet Concerto in E Major, S. 49
MAX BRUCH
Romanze for Viola and Orchestra, Op. 85
GABRIEL FAURÉ
Élégie in c minor, Op. 24
DANIEL CROZIER
Concerto for Two Clarinets and Orchestra (World Premiere)
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS
Cello Concerto No. 1 in a minor, Op. 33
23 February 2018
23 February 2018 - 8 PM
Franklin Cohen Faculty Recital at the Cleveland Institute of Music
Franklin Cohen, clarinet
Roman Rabinovich, piano, guest artist
BRAHMS
Clarinet Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 120, No. 1
Clarinet Sonata No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 120, No. 2
Ticket Information
Admission is free, but a reservation is required. Reserve your seat.
Location
11021 East Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44106
