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 »
The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra is ending this season with a blast of triumphant, Romantic music. The final Classics concert features Richard Strauss’ “Alpine Symphony,” a work that, because of its scope and intense demands, is heard only rarely. It’s a first for the BPO’s Classics series, and to up the ante that much more, the… Read more »
You got a paper bag with your program at the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s Friday morning Coffee Concert. And no, it wasn’t so you could take one of those yummy doughnuts to go. It was so you could pop it during Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” It’s not giving away too much to tell that. The real surprise… Read more »
Think it’s a mistake to pair Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 with songs from Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”? It ain’t necessarily so. This weekend’s concert by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus is a dandy. We’ve got a majestic Metropolitan Opera diva, Angela Brown. She is paired with the fine baritone Kevin Deas. Buffalo heard Deas… Read more »
Two fabulous Fifths are filling Kleinhans Music Hall this weekend. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Music Director JoAnn Falletta, is performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 and the huge Symphony No. 5 of Gustav Mahler. This is a real apples-and-oranges program. And I am overjoyed to report that at Saturday’s concert, both pieces brought… Read more »