$92-$132
$29
Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
Tuesday
6:00 PM
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC
Bramwell Tovey, conductor
Augustin Hadelich, violin
John Fleming, special guest conductor
DVOŘÁK Slavonic Dance in G minor, Op. 46, No.8
PROKOFIEV Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6, "Pastoral"
Grammy and Juno Award winning Bramwell Tovey, “the very model of a modern orchestral maestro” (Montecristo Magazine), shares the stage with Bravo! favorite Augustin Hadelich, declared “one of the outstanding violinists of his generation” (New York Times) and “technically and musically impeccable” (Washington Post).
DVOŘÁK: Slavonic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, No. 8
PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, Pastoral
DVOŘÁK: Slavonic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, No. 8
Slavonic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, No. 8 (1878)
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)
Antonín Dvořák was 33 years old when he received his first break as a composer, in 1874: he was awarded the Austrian State Stipendium, a grant to assist young, poor, gifted musicians—which described him exactly. That he received the award five years in a row underscores how little his financial situation improved in the 1870s. The Viennese music critic Eduard Hanslick was on the jury that first year, and Johannes Brahms joined him as a judge beginning in 1875. In 1877, Hanslick encouraged Dvořák to send some scores to Brahms. Dvořák did, and Brahms recommended the emerging composer to his own publisher, Fritz Simrock, who immediately published Dvořák’s Moravian Duets, commissioned a collection of Slavonic Dances, and contracted a first option on all the composer’s new works. Simrock hoped the Slavonic Dances would resemble Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, and that is the spirit in which the public received them. A Berlin newspaper reviewer proclaimed: “Here is at last a hundred-percent talent and, what is more, a completely natural talent. I consider the Slavonic Dances to be a work which will make its triumphant way through the world in the same way as Brahms’ Hungarian Dances.” They put Dvořák on the musical map. That initial set of eight dances—Dvořák’s Op. 46, scored for piano four-hands—brought him his first composer’s fee, however modest, and it earned a small fortune for the publisher. Within months, Dvořák produced orchestral versions of them, and in 1886 he followed up with eight further Slavonic Dances for piano four-hands (Op. 72), which he similarly enlarged into orchestral settings. Slavonic Dance No. 8 from the first set is an example of the furiant, a fiery dance with shifting accents.
PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63
Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63 (1935)
SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Just before the Russian Revolution broke out, Sergei Prokofiev boarded the Trans-Siberian Railway to Vladivostok, sailed on to Japan, Honolulu, and San Francisco, and from there proceeded cross-country to New York. New York and Paris would be his base for more than a decade, but by 1932 his steps began turning homeward to what in the meantime had become the Soviet Union—and in 1936 he settled in Moscow for good. He composed his Violin Concerto No. 2 while he was still based part-time in Paris and on the verge of returning to the Soviet Union. “Reflecting my nomadic concertizing experience,” Prokofiev stated in his so-called Short Autobiography of 1939-41, “the concerto was written in the most diverse countries: the main subject of the first movement was written in Paris, the first theme of the second movement in Voronezh, the instrumentation was completed in Baku, and the premiere took place in December of 1935 in Madrid.” He initially thought of titling the piece “Concert Sonata for Violin and Orchestra,” but he finally gave up that unnecessary complication and called it simply Violin Concerto No. 2, his Violin Concerto No. 1 having been premiered a dozen years earlier.
Prokofiev was a master orchestrator, and his Violin Concerto No. 2 brims with extraordinary, often spare, instrumental effects. He calls for five percussion instruments in the score—bass drum, snare drum, triangle, cymbals, and castanets—arranging everything so that all can be handled by a single player if necessary. It has been suggested that the castanets were added late in the orchestration process, just after plans changed such that the concerto would be premiered in Madrid rather than Paris. Whether a passage of “Spanish rhythms” in the string parts near the end of the third movement was already in place is anyone’s guess.
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, Pastoral
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, Pastoral (1808)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Like many modern urbanites, Ludwig van Beethoven drew sustenance from the city—in his case, Vienna—but complained about its inconveniences. He enjoyed escaping to places like the village of Heiligenstadt, where he installed himself while composing his Sixth Symphony in the summer of 1808. “How delighted I shall be to ramble for a while through bushes, woods, under trees, through grass, and around rocks,” he wrote two years later. “No one can love the country as much as I do. For surely woods, trees, and rocks produce the echo which man desires to hear.”
Beethoven worried that priming listeners to hear specific images in his music might restrict their experience of a work. Jottings in his sketches for the Sixth Symphony reinforce that idea: “The hearers should be allowed to discover the situations,” “All painting in instrumental music is lost if it is pushed too far,” and so on. Nonetheless, he condoned the use of the title Pastoral even as he downplayed the music’s illustrative qualities. At the head of a violin part used in the first performance (and only parts were available at that time, since the orchestral score was not published until 1826) is written “Sinfonia Pastorella / Pastoral Symphony/ or / Recollection of Country Life / More an Expression of Feeling than Painting.” Each of the five movements also carries an individual motto describing a rural experience. Numerous compositions have been cited as prefiguring the programmatic bent of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, including a piano fantasia by Franz Jakob Freystädtler called A Spring Morning, Noon, and Night, and a symphony by Justin Heinrich Knecht titled Le portrait musical de la nature. Such pieces were characteristic of an epoch nursed by the back-to-nature philosophy of Rousseau and Herder. In Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, nature found its supreme musical mirror.
Grammy and Juno award-winning conductor and composer Bramwell Tovey has most recently added the title of Artistic Director of Calgary Opera Company to his role as Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra and Artistic Advisor to the Rhode Island Philharmonic.
Musical America’s “2018 Instrumentalist of the Year,” Augustin Hadelich has firmly established himself as one of the great violinists of today.
Grammy and Juno award-winning conductor and composer Bramwell Tovey is the newly appointed Music Director Designate of the Sarasota Orchestra.
He will continue in his roles as Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra, Artistic Advisor to the Rhode Island Philharmonic and Principal Guest Conductor of the Orchestre Symphonique de Quebec.
Following an exceptional 18 year tenure as Music Director of the Vancouver Symphony, which concluded in summer 2018, he now returns as the orchestra’s Music Director Emeritus. Under his leadership the VSO toured China, Korea, across Canada and the United States. His VSO innovations included the establishment of the VSO School of Music, the VSO’s annual festival of contemporary music and the VSO Orchestral Institute at Whistler, a comprehensive summer orchestral training program for young musicians held in the scenic mountain resort of Whistler in British Columbia.
With the resumption of concerts in summer 2021 Mr. Tovey has conducted the New York Philharmonic at Bravo Vail, Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl and will lead the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Proms before embarking on a full schedule including a special concert in Sarasota to mark the beginning of his tenure followed by guest appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Helsingborg Symphony, Sweden.
In 2003 Bramwell Tovey won the Juno Award for Best Classical Composition for his choral and brass work Requiem for a Charred Skull. His song cycle, Ancestral Voices, which addresses the issue of Reconciliation, was written for acclaimed Kwagiulth mezzo-soprano Marion Newman and premiered in June 2017. His trumpet concerto, Songs of the Paradise Saloon, was commissioned by the Toronto Symphony for principal trumpet, Andrew McCandless and performed in 2014 by Alison Balsom with the LA Philharmonic, the Philadelphia and the London Philharmonic Orchestras. A recording of his opera, The Inventor, commissioned by Calgary Opera, features the original cast, members of UBC Opera and the VSO.
Mr. Tovey was the recipient of the Oskar Morawetz 2015 Prize for Excellence in Music Performance. He was previously Music Director of Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg where he led the world premiere of Penderecki’s Eighth Symphony on the opening of the principality’s new concert hall, the Philharmonie. He won the Prix d’or of the Academie Lyrique Française for his recording of Jean Cras’ 1922 opera Polyphème with OPL and toured with the orchestra to China, Korea, the United States and throughout Europe.
In 2013 he was appointed an honorary Officer of the Order of Canada for services to music.
At the age of 34, Augustin Hadelich has firmly established himself as one of the great violinists of today. Named “2018 Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America, he has performed with every major orchestra in the U.S., many on numerous occasions, as well as an ever-growing number of orchestras in the UK, Europe, and Asia. Showcasing a wide-ranging and adventurous repertoire, he is consistently cited for his phenomenal technique, soulful approach, and beauty of tone.
International highlights of the 2018/2019 season include his debut with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra Munich and engagements with Belgian National Orchestra, Danish National Symphony, Finnish Radio Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lyon, Orquesta Nacional de España, and the symphony orchestras of Bournemouth, City of Birmingham, New Zealand, São Paulo, and Singapore. He will also perform in a 10-concert tour of Germany with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, featuring double concertos with violinist Julia Fischer. In the United States, he will return to the symphonies of Cincinnati, Dallas, Indianapolis, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, San Diego, and Seattle, as well as the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl.
Summer 2018 saw Augustin Hadelich's debut at the Salzburger Festspiele, performing the Sibelius concerto with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony, as well as return appearances at the Aspen, Bravo! Vail and Colorado music festivals. Other recent festival appearances include his debut at the BBC Proms, as well as performances with the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood and the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom. Mr. Hadelich has also performed at the Britt, Chautauqua (where he made his U.S. orchestral debut in 2001), Eastern, Grand Teton, Marlboro, Rheingau, and Sun Valley festivals.
Among recent international performances are the BBC Philharmonic/Manchester, Concertgebouw Orchestra/Amsterdam, Hallé Orchestra (UK), Hamburg Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Mozarteum Orchestra/Salzburg, Munich Philharmonic, Netherlands Philharmonic, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, NHK Symphony/Tokyo, Sapporo Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic, and the radio orchestras of Cologne, Frankfurt, Saarbrücken, and Stuttgart.
Augustin Hadelich has collaborated with such renowned conductors as Thomas Adès, Marin Alsop, Stefan Asbury, Herbert Blomstedt, Andrey Boreyko, James Conlon, Stéphane Denève, Christoph von Dohnányi, Thierry Fischer, the late Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, James Gaffigan, Alan Gilbert, Hans Graf, Giancarlo Guerrero, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Manfred Honeck, Jakub Hruša, Carlos Kalmar, Hannu Lintu, Andrew Litton, Cristian Macelaru, Jun Märkl, Fabio Mechetti, Juanjo Mena, Ludovic Morlot, Andris Nelsons, Sakari Oramo, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Peter Oundjian, Vasily Petrenko, David Robertson, Donald Runnicles, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Lahav Shani, John Storgårds, Yan Pascal Tortelier, Krzysztof Urbański, Edo de Waart, and Jaap van Zweden, among others.
An active recitalist, Augustin Hadelich’s numerous engagements include appearances at Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw/Amsterdam, The Frick Collection/New York, Kennedy Center/ Washington, Kioi Hall/Tokyo, the Louvre, and the Wigmore Hall/London. His chamber music partners have included Inon Barnatan, Jeremy Denk, James Ehnes, Alban Gerhardt, Richard Goode, Gary Hoffman, Kim Kashkashian, Robert Kulek, Cho-Liang Lin, Midori, Charles Owen, Vadim Repin, Mitsuko Uchida, Joyce Yang, and members of the Guarneri and Juilliard quartets.
Augustin Hadelich is the winner of a 2016 Grammy Award – “Best Classical Instrumental Solo” – for his recording of Dutilleux’s Violin Concerto, L’Arbre des songes, with the Seattle Symphony under Ludovic Morlot (Seattle Symphony MEDIA). A prolific recording artist, Mr. Hadelich’s newest disc – Paganini 24 Caprices for Warner Classics – was released in January. Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote about this recording: “Anyone who masters these pieces so confidently has, so to speak, reached the regions of eternal snow: he has reached the top.” Other recent discs include live recordings of the violin concertos by Tchaikovsky and Lalo (Symphonie espagnole) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra on the LPO label (2017), and an album of duo works for violin and piano on AVIE in collaboration with Joyce Yang (2016). Previous recordings on the AVIE label include the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and Bartók’s Concerto No. 2 with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra under Miguel Harth-Bedoya (2015), and the violin concertos of Jean Sibelius and Thomas Adès (Concentric Paths) with Hannu Lintu conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (2014), nominated for a Gramophone Award and listed by NPR on their Top 10 Classical CDs of 2014.
Augustin Hadelich’s career took off when he won the Gold Medal at the 2006 International Violin Competition of Indianapolis. Since then, he has garnered an impressive list of honors, including an Avery Fisher Career Grant (2009); a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship in the UK (2011); Lincoln Center’s Martin E. Segal Award (2012); the inaugural Warner Music Prize (2015); a Grammy Award (2016); an honorary doctorate from the University of Exeter in the UK (2017); and Musical America’s “2018 Instrumentalist of the Year.”
Born in Italy, the son of German parents, Augustin Hadelich is now an American citizen. He holds an Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Joel Smirnoff. Mr. Hadelich plays the 1723 “Ex-Kiesewetter” Stradivari violin, on loan from Clement and Karen Arrison through the Stradivari Society of Chicago.
Photo: Rosalie O'Connor
A world premiere sets the stage for the “magical” (Music Web International) pianist Alessio Bax in a fantastical, mercurial concerto. Schumann’s turbulent Fourth Symphony is feverish and passionate, culminating in a triumphant finale.
Start spreading the news… the New York Philharmonic’s Vail season ends on a high note with special guest Kelli O’Hara, the Tony Award-winning singing sensation who is one of Broadway’s leading ladies and brightest lights.
Where are the orchestra concert performances held?
Bravo! Vail orchestral concerts take place at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater (GRFA) located at 530 S. Frontage Rd E Vail, CO 81657
What time do performances begin?
Concerts start promptly at 6:00PM. Gates open 60 minutes prior to performances. GRFA gates open 60 minutes prior to performances. Give yourself plenty of time to park and get into the venue. Latecomers will be escorted by ushers at appropriate intervals.
Where do I park?
FREE concert parking is available at the Vail Parking Structure (241 South Frontage Road East, Vail) and the Lionshead Parking Structure (395 South Frontage Road West, Vail). A Town of Vail Special Event express bus provides continuous service from both parking structures to the GRFA before and after concerts. We expect that bus capacity for each bus will be limited to 40 or fewer people. Limited $10 parking is available at Ford Park by the Tennis Center (500 South Frontage Rd). Additional $10 parking is available at the Vail Athletic/Soccer Field lot.
Walking instructions from the Vail Village Parking Structure
Via Gore Creek Trail: 15-minute scenic walk
1. Exit the parking garage by following the Pedestrian Exit signs towards “Vail Village” / “Golden Peak”
2. Turn left out of the parking garage onto East Meadow Drive and head east
3. At the end of the road turn right on Vail Valley Drive and cross the road
4. Turn left on the walking path before the bridge, following the street signs towards "Ford Park"
5. Continuing east, follow the walking path along Gore Creek until reaching the GRFA
Via Frontage Road: 15-minute walk
1. From the top level of the parking garage, exit onto the South Frontage Road
2. Turn right and follow the sidewalk east along the south side of the frontage road
3. Cross East Meadow Drive and continue east along the sidewalk
4. Turn right after passing The Wren at Vail on the right
5. Continue down the path down to the GRFA
How long do concerts last?
Concerts generally last 2 hours including intermission. Please call the Box Office 877.812.5700 for exact running times.
How do I buy tickets?
Tickets and gift certificates may be ordered in the following ways:
1. Online: bravovail.org
2. By phone: 877.812.5700
3. In person: Bravo! Vail 2271 N Frontage Rd W Suite C, Vail, CO 81657
Bravo! Vail accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. Fees apply. Tickets are delivered by mail, mobile app, email, or may be picked up at Will Call.
What are the Box Office hours?
Bravo! Vail Box Office hours are Monday-Friday from 9:00AM to 4:00PM. During the Festival, hours include Saturday & Sunday from 10:00AM to 4:00PM. The Bravo! Vail Box Office can be reached at 877.812.5700.
The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater box office is open from 11:00AM until concert start time (5:00PM on days with no concerts) during the Festival. Tickets for upcoming performances may be purchased on-site at the GRFA before concerts and during intermission.
Where is the Will Call window?
Will Call tickets may be picked up at the GRFA amphitheater box office located to the right of the main entrance lobby. The box office is open 11:00AM to concert start time during the Festival.
What is your vaccination policy?
The health and safety of our patrons, musicians, staff, and community are Bravo! Vail's top priorities. After careful consideration and in compliance with our venue partners, as well as local, state, and federal guidelines, we will not require proof of vaccination to attend Bravo! Vail events for the 2022 summer season. Face coverings at all events will be optional and encouraged for anyone who wishes to wear them. We will continue to stay in close communication with Eagle County Public Health and Environment, and we may change our policy at any time in the interest of the health and safety of our guests, artists, employees, and volunteers.
This policy may be revised or changed at any time. We thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and flexibility.
What if I misplace or forget to bring my tickets?
There is no charge to reprint tickets. Please call 877.812.5700 before 3:00PM on the day of the performance or allow extra time to request new tickets at the Will Call window.
Where are seating options for people with disabilities?
Per the American Disability Act (ADA), the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater is accessible to individuals with disabilities. ADA seating is available in Section 1 Row L and Section 4 Row O in all reserved seating zones and prices. A limited number of ADA General Admission Lawn seats are available for sale behind Section 2. You must have a designated ADA lawn seat ticket to sit in this area. By purchasing an ADA seat, you are stating that you require an ADA seat. If purchased fraudulently, you may be subject to relocation. If you need assistance purchasing ADA seating, please call the Box Office at 877.812.5700.
What if it rains?
Concerts take place rain or shine. The GRFA is an open-air venue. Refunds are not given due to weather unless a concert is canceled in its entirety with no performance rescheduled.
What should I wear?
There is no dress code for concerts. Please be prepared for rain and cooler temperatures.
How can I learn more about the music?
Find more on the website, Bravo! Vail Music Festival App, or program book!
What should I bring to the concerts?
If you will be on the lawn, a blanket, sunglasses, and a hat are recommended. If rain is predicted, please bring appropriate rain gear. Food, commercially sealed non-alcoholic beverages, low-profile lawn chairs (4-inch legs), and umbrellas are permitted at concerts.
All bags are subject to search (please help us by packing your bag with this in mind).
No oversized bags will be allowed (for example: duffle bags, large backpacking bags, suitcases).
The following articles are not allowed at the venue: cameras, audio/video recording devices, standard-height lawn chairs, baby strollers, alcoholic beverages, firearms, pets, smoking, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, and skates.
Are lawn chairs available to rent?
Low-profile lawn chairs are available at the GRFA to rent for $10. You may also rent a lawn chair by contacting the Bravo! Vail Box Office at 877.812.5700.
What are some general rules of concert etiquette?
Please allow time for parking and seating. Concert attendees must silence all mobile devices prior to performances to not disrupt musicians and other patrons. Please limit conversations and other noisy activities during the performance. In the pavilion seating, we recommend eating prior to the concert or at intermission. Parental supervision is required for all children attending Bravo! Vail concerts.
Any forms of audio or video recording (mobile phone, camera, video camera, iPad) are prohibited at these events.
What else should I know?
Vail’s high elevation requires adequate hydration and sun protection. Visitors from lower elevations may experience altitude sickness.
What if I lose something at the concert?
Check with the GRFA box office for lost items at intermission or call 970.748.8497.
What if I still have questions?
Please contact the Box Office at ticketing@bravovail.org or 877.812.5700 Mon–Fri 9:00AM–4:00PM (and Sat–Sun 10:00AM-4:00PM during the Festival).
Do you charge service fees?
Bravo! Vail enriches people's lives through the power of music by producing the finest performances by the greatest artists; fostering music education; and promoting a lifelong appreciation of the arts. We strive to provide the best experience for all audiences. As we continue to maintain this high level of service, our in-house box office happily manages the ticketing and seating process for our patrons. The price of each ticket helps offset production costs, artist fees and housing, and other expenses associated with the performance. However, ticket sales revenue covers less than half of what it costs to present world-class music in Colorado's most beautiful mountain setting.
Service fees help offset the cost associated with processing, printing, and selling tickets. Costs include:
A five percent service fee is applied to tickets sold through BravoVail.com and an eight percent fee for tickets sold by phone, and in-person through official Bravo! Vail ticketing sources. These fees are proportionate to the ticket's listed price. Additional venue fees may apply. To make our pricing clear to ticket buyers, we do not fold ticketing fees into base ticket prices. All service fees are non-refundable.
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