The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s inaugural Pops concert of the season was a pretty solid success. There was nary an unfilled seat in the house and the parking lots – and many of the side streets – were filled with cars. Program music drawn from popular soundtrack scores by John Williams was a safe hit with… Read more »
Fabio Bidini is back. He is the elegant Italian pianist who blazes through here like a comet when the stars are lined up right. He plays epic Romantic music, the kind of music the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra embraces. This weekend, Bidini is the soloist in Round One of the BPO’s Tchaikovsky Festival. Music Director JoAnn… Read more »
A new contract is in place. That was good news announced Saturday at the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s season-opening concert in Kleinhans Music Hall. BPO musicians have reached an agreement with the orchestra’s management on a new six-year contract. The contract was ratified by the musicians Thursday, the orchestra announced. The agreement is expected to be… Read more »
As the Principal Pops Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic, John Morris Russell has big shoes to fill. In the 1980s and 1990s, Doc Severinsen embodied the Pops spirit at the Buffalo Philharmonic, with crowd-pleasing, dynamic programs. Night owls who watched him during the week on “The Tonight Show” flocked to the hall for their own… Read more »
When Joshua Bell performs with Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday, Sept. 17, the violin once owned by famed Jewish Polish violinist Bronislaw Huberman will be on stage as well. Bell is kicking off the BPO’s season with the Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius used by Huberman, a violin prodigy who lived from 1882-1947. Huberman was born… Read more »
Tonight’s Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra concert at Knox Farm State Park will likely serve as a full-circle moment for bass trombonist Jeff Dee. Several years ago, Dee suggested playing a piece by Chris Brubeck, son of the “Take Five” musician David Brubeck, called “James Brown in the Twilight Zone.” Dee said he pitched the idea to… Read more »
There was a time when Stefan Sanders was certain he was destined to be a National Hockey League player. He had a childhood passion for hockey and, as most kids who play sports, dreamt of a pro career. Then he found music and a new passion developed. Sanders poured himself into it and became an… Read more »
At the final M&T Bank Classics concert of the season, four BPO musicians and one staff member were recognized publicly for their long service to the orchestra. Violinist Mary Louise Nanna is celebrating 50 years with the orchestra. She is among the few native Western New Yorkers in the orchestra, and is also a member… Read more »
Efforts by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra to meet its $25 million Crescendo Campaign goal has received a major boost from one of its biggest corporate supporters. M&T Bank has pledged $500,000 to the campaign as the BPO nears its $25 million goal. The Crescendo Campaign was announced last year and more than $23 million has… Read more »
Richard Strauss completed his final tone poem, Ein Alpensinfonie, Op. 64 “An Alpine Symphony”, in 1915. Somewhat surprisingly, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance of “An Alpine Symphony”, under the baton of its music director JoAnn Falletta, will be an orchestra premiere on its season finale concerts on Saturday June 4 at 8pm and Sunday June… Read more »