Tuesday, April 4, 2023 (Ann Arbor, MI) — A soundtrack to the industry, creativity, and cultural dynamism of southeast Michigan, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra’s newly-announced 2023/24 season combines world-renowned soloists, ambitious programming, new venues, and inspired artistic leadership to engage and enthrall listeners of all ages and interests.
“This season’s programming is designed to reflect the creative energy, vitality, and diversity of our region and the world-class music that brings our communities together. Ann Arbor is a remarkable place to call home, and across our 23/24 series we’re seeking to deliver a simple message: this is what here sounds like.” – A2SO Music Director Earl Lee and Executive Director Sarah Calderini.
Building on a 22/23 season that marked the debut of Lee as the A2SO’s 14th Music Director, the 2022 Solti Award recipient spearheads the orchestra’s expansion from nine to eleven MainStage performances, including a debut at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall (home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra). Lee and the A2SO will also launch Beethoven Fest 2024 across April and May of 2024, celebrating two of Ludwig van Beethoven’s most recognized and influential works, his Symphony No. 5 and Symphony No. 9 (the “Ode to Joy”).
Imaginative programming pairs majestic and influential masterpieces from Dvořák, Mozart, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff with reflective, dynamic new works by some of the foremost composers of the present day. Spotlighted voices include Puerto Rican-born composer and multi-instrumentalist Angélica Negrón, bandoneon virtuoso JP Jofre, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams, Musical America’s Composer of the Year Jessie Montgomery, and local talent and University of Michigan alumna Gala Flagello.
Some of the industry’s foremost soloists will take the stage across 23/24, including Stefan Jackiw (“One of the most insightful violinists of his generation” – Boston Globe), cellist and 2023 Sphinx Medal of Excellence Award winner Tommy Mesa, and pianist Eric Lu, winner of the prestigious Leeds Piano Competition at just 20 years old.
Looking for family-friendly pops performances? Soundtracks from some of the world’s most popular video game franchises come to the Michigan Theater in November 2023, followed by the A2SO’s 12th Annual Holiday Pops concert at Hill Auditorium in December. The 23/24 pops series wraps up in March of 2024 with an exploration of music from the Broadway stage and Hollywood set, as selections from audience-favorite musicals like West Side Story, Les Misérables, Chicago, and La La Land are performed by full symphony orchestra.
To explore the full season lineup, visit www.a2so.com/23-24.