Eastern CT Symphony Continues 72nd Season Jan 26 with ''Fantastic Fantasies'' Concert

Featuring Stephan Tieszen, Violin (ECSO Concertmaster); Thomas Green, Bass (ECSO Principal Bass); and Nicholas Tolle, Cimbalom
 
Note: the new concert time is 7:30pm, and the pre-concert chats will begin at 6:30pm.
The next ECSO concert will feature two long-time members; Stephan Tieszen, who has been Concertmaster for 30 years, and Thomas Green, Principal Bass of the ECSO for 25 years. Thomas Green is moving out of the area and has made a tremendous impact on both the ECSO and Ledyard Public Schools where he has taught middle school and high school music for many years.
 
Kicking off the concert, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Hamlet: Fantasy Overture lights the fire of the first concert in 2019 of the 72^nd season. This overture is a musical bundle that teases out the characters of the popular Shakespearean play in abstract. ECSO Concertmaster, Stephan Tieszen, returns to center stage to perform Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The concerto is one of Bruch’s most well-known, and a standard of the violin repertoire, in large part due to its beautifully melodic second movement.
 
After intermission, another ECSO principal is featured in a concerto of a rarer breed; Thomas Green, Principal Bass, performs Johann Baptist Vanhal’s Double Bass Concerto. Thomas Green had the following statement regarding his preparation: “Although I played this concerto as part of my graduate recital at Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of Donald Palma, my preparation for this performance of the concerto started last January after I was invited as a soloist. After I spent a few months smoothing out some of the more difficult moments of the piece, I started to concentrate on memorizing the piece. One method I like to use as I learn a large difficult work is to assign playing cards to various sections of the piece. Drawing cards prevents certain passages from being favored or avoided. This concerto does have moments of flash, but its overall character is tuneful and is very pleasant on the ears. Additionally, this concerto requires the bass to be tuned 1.5 steps higher than standard tuning and Upton Bass has graciously allowed to play one of their award-winning basses, the 2015 Upton Bass Cavani Double Bass. This will allow me to keep my bass at solo tuning and then switch to the Upton Bass at standard tuning to perform the Kodály. Jack Hanlon and Eric Rene Roy have both worked closely with me as I have requested adjustments to suit my playing.”
 
The evening’s finale is Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály’s beloved Háry János Suite, a work by Kodály that musically depicts the adventures of Háry János, a teller of tales. Listeners will hear a lesser-known instrument, the cimbalom, a type of hammered dulcimer traditional to Hungary performed by percussionist Nicholas Tolle. Music Director and Conductor Toshiyuki Shimada was quoted as saying “I am always amazed by the agility of the instrument, and its unique sound. The Cimbalom is the important instrument in Eastern Europe, especially in Hungarian Gypsy bands, and it can be dated back to 3500 BC.”
 
This concert is generously sponsored by Upton Bass String Instrument Co., and Chelsea Groton Bank.
 
“This partnership is another example of the utilization of our craft, and we’re so lucky to be involved with musicians who play our instruments or who engage with us for the services we offer. A lot of the ECSO bass players, and members of the other string sections, rely upon Upton Bass for services and instruments. At the concert, we’ll be rough carving a bass top and showcasing parts in various forms of completion in the lobby.” – Gary Upton, owner of Upton Bass String Instrument Co., and Board member of the ECSO.
 
All attendees are urged to meet and greet with fellow concertgoers and ECSO musicians at the complimentary post-concert reception in the upper lobby of the Garde Arts Center. The reception is also sponsored by Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
 
2018-19 Season general copy:
We are beyond excited to announce our 72nd season’s lineup, curated by Music Director and Conductor Toshiyuki Shimada. Major repertoire selections from Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, Dvořák, Mahler and many more will bring a thrilling range of sounds to the Garde stage. In addition to these timeless composers, we have co-commissioned a new work by Michael Torke, which will feature violinist, Tessa Lark, performing a bluegrass-style concerto. Along with the esteemed guest artists who will grace the front of the stage will be many familiar faces from within the ECSO’s very own sections. Stephan Tieszen, the ECSO’s Concertmaster for 30 years; principal bass, Tom Green; and principal violist, Barbara Wiggin, will all make featured appearances throughout the season. The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus will join the ECSO for Verdi’s Stabat Mater and Mozart’s Mass in C Major.

Visit www.ectsymphony.com for more information and follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube) @ectsymphony
 
The ECSO offers a range of affordable seating options from $65 to as low as $31 for attendance to one concert. The ECSO will continue to offer those under 40 years of age and active or retired military members $12 tickets in premium sections. Patrons can also take advantage of the Pick 4 subscription, which enables people to schedule our concerts around their busy lives.
 
Founded in 1946, the mission of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra is to inspire, educate, and connect our communities through live orchestral music.