4th Masterworks Concert Coming To The Smith Center W/Cellist Sergey Antonov

On Saturday, March 7th at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, the Las Vegas Philharmonic will perform its fourth Masterworks concert of the 2014-15 season led by Music Director, Donato Cabrera and featuring award-winning cellist, Sergey Antonov.  The program will include three selections, one of Schubert’s most familiar works, Overture to Rosamunde, Schumann’s expressive and playful Cello Concerto and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, also known as the Italian Symphony inspired by Mendelssohn’s travels through Rome, Naples and other parts of the country.

"The music that I’ve programmed for this concert captures a very exciting moment in music history,” said Donato Cabrera.  “Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, and Robert Schumann represent the spirit and zeitgeist of the early Nineteenth Century in the same way as the books, poems, and paintings of Dickens, Wordsworth, and Turner.  The music perfectly captures the sense of adventure and possibilities that were beginning to become available to more than just a select few.  It also captures the beginnings of an inward journey that artists and philosophers were beginning to explore in a way that had never been done before.  We take long-distance travel for granted today, but when Mendelssohn traveled to Italy and subsequently wrote a symphony based on his impressions, it was a big deal!”

Guest cellist Sergey Antonov started his studies with his mother and teacher, Maria Zhuravleva.  He continued at the Central Music School of the Moscow Conservatory and then graduated from the Moscow Conservatory.  He was one of the youngest cellists to be awarded the Tchaikovsky Gold Medal in 2007 followed by the Russian Performing Arts Foundation’s Golden Talent Award in 2008.  Antonov’s mentor, renowned Russian cellist, Mstislav Rostropovich, claimed Antonov “a brilliant cellist” and invited the young musician to perform with him during a European and Russian tour.  Antonov has appeared as soloist with many orchestras worldwide and in live concerts on Boston’s NPR radio station WGBH and in the Russian broadcast series “Stars of the 21st Century” with the Moscow Philharmonic.

When asked about his choice for soloist in the Philharmonic’s upcoming performance, Cabrera expressed, “I’m very excited about Sergey Antonov performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto with us.  He brings an intensity and lyricism that is a rare combination, perfectly suited for the intimate whispers and sudden outbursts of emotion for which this concerto is so well known.”

Tickets

The Las Vegas Philharmonic offers $26 tickets for balcony seating at all of its 2014-15 season concerts.  Seats in other sections are priced $46, $66 and $96.  Tickets are available from The Smith Center Box Office, phone 702.749.2000 or online from lvphil.org.  A 50% student discount is available on all single ticket purchases (ID required) and a 10% discount is available to seniors and military personnel   Groups of 10 or more receive 20% off the ticket price by calling the Las Vegas Philharmonic.