Albany Symphony to Present a Vibrant December Holiday Classical Concert to Dazzle and Delight, with music by Mozart, Bach, and Vivaldi, plus a World Premiere Guitar Concerto by Nicky Sohn 

 Concert Soloists Include Super-Star Guitarist Bokyung Byun and Karen Hosmer & Grace Shryock (Oboes)

 Albany Symphony Introduces New Musicians Including Concertmaster Christina Bouey 

ALBANY, NY – The two-time GRAMMY Award-winning Albany Symphony is excited to present two December concerts featuring holiday classical music and a world premiere guitar concerto at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy on Saturday, December 21 at 7:30pm and Sunday, December 22 at 3:00pm. 

The concert includes Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and Symphony No. 35 by Mozart, Sinfonia from “Christmas Oratorio” by Bach, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Oboes and Nicky Sohn’s Guitar Concerto, which is a world premiere. The guitar soloist is Bokyung Byun and oboe soloists are Karen Hosmer and Grace Shryock, both long-time members of the Albany Symphony. 

“We are thrilled to present two gorgeous holiday concerts, featuring music by some of the greatest composers of all time,” said Albany Symphony Music Director, David Alan Miller.  “The concert features our phenomenal Albany Symphony oboists, Karen Hosmer and Grace Shryock, in Vivaldi’s fabulous Double Oboe Concerto, as well as TWO of Mozart’s most famous works, plus some radiant Bach to celebrate the season. We’re also extremely excited to present the world premiere of Nicky Sohn’s new Guitar Concerto.  It’s a unique blend of jazz and classical, think Bill Evans jamming with Debussy. We hope you’ll make this beautiful program part of your holiday schedule.” 

The program will begin with one of the most famous pieces of all time: Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, composed in 1787, when Mozart was 31 years old. The concert will also feature Mozart’s brilliant Symphony No. 35, the “Haffner” Symphony. It was written in 1782 as background entertainment for the ennoblement of Sigmund Haffner. Mozart liked the music so much that he later re-worked it into a full-scale symphony.

Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Oboes features Albany Symphony’s own Karen Hosmer and Grace Shryock. Principal Oboist Karen Hosmer also plays oboe and English Horn with the Springfield, MA Symphony and is principal oboe of the Kinderhook Broad Street Orchestra. She is a professor in the SUNY Schenectady School of Music where she was honored with the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. She has been a concerto soloist in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania and, in Lithuania, where she recorded Frank McCarty’s Concerto for Oboe and Chamber Orchestra. In addition to the Albany Symphony, Grace Shryock is also a member of the Boston Lyric Opera and the Springfield Symphony. Additionally, she was the Acting English Horn of the New York Philharmonic for four years and was the English Horn soloist in their performance of Aaron Copland's "Quiet City." She also served as the Acting Principal English Horn and Assistant Principal Oboe with the Richmond Symphony. She has made appearances with the Boston, St. Louis, Baltimore, New Jersey, and Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestras, the Boston Pops, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Ballet, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Rhode Island Philharmonic, and The Knights, as well as many other orchestras on the East Coast. 

The world premiere Guitar Concerto by Nicky Sohn evolved out of a long friendship with Bokyung Byun. It has been a dream project of theirs for years. Bokyung has been one of the most important people in Nicky Sohn’s life for almost a decade. She has not only been a major supporter and musical advocate, but also the musician who introduced Nicky to the beauties of the classical guitar. Nicky explains that when Bokyung enters the stage, it feels as if the whole world stops, and only Bokyung and her guitar exist. “Being a composer surely feels magical at times. I was incredibly lucky to have met and become best friends with one of the leading female guitarists in the world nearly a decade ago. Somehow, I got even luckier to have the chance to write for her and the fantastic Albany Symphony! I am so grateful to Maestro David Alan Miller for giving me the opportunity to make my dream come true and for trusting Bokyung's and my vision to come together for this special piece. It's been an absolute joy to grow together as musicians, finding our voices and spaces in this world. This collaboration has allowed us to expand our horizons like never before. Being part of a holiday concert is also very exciting for me. It will feel like celebrating our friendship and our love and passion for music with audiences, sharing such joy,” said Nicky Sohn. The three movements of the concerto each explore different moods, tempi, and atmospheres. They share recognizable original melodic components that recycle throughout the piece, transforming into different textures and motifs. This process resembles their lives and friendship throughout the years, constantly evolving yet always retaining a core essence. 

The Albany Symphony recently held auditions and invited ten brilliant musicians to join the orchestra, including Christina Bouey (concertmaster), Amelia Bailey (violin), Ariana Cappon (violin), Colin Laursen (violin), Eliane Menzel (violin), Alisa Wyrick (violin), Caleb Breidenbaugh (principal percussion), Lauren Henning (principal bassoon), Sarah Bobrow (second bassoon), and Daniel Ketter (principal clarinet). Learn more about the musicians of the Albany Symphony at albanysymphony.com/meet-the-orchestra.

The Albany Symphony’s new concertmaster Christina Bouey, has been hailed by the New York Times for playing “beautifully;” by the New York Post: “When violinist Christina Bouey spun out that shimmering tune, I thought I died and went to heaven;” and by Opera News, for playing “with exquisite, quivering beauty.” She is praised by Seen and Heard International, “Bouey responded with the kind of beguiling poetry that technical brilliance alone cannot liberate.” Christina most recently won 1st prize at the Waldo Mayo Violin Competition which resulted in her concerto debut at Carnegie Hall. Other prizes include the Grand Prize at the Vietnam International Chamber Competition, 1st Prize at the Schoenfeld International String Competition in the chamber division, Grand Prize at the Fischoff Competition, 1st place in the American Prize, and 2nd prize at the Osaka International Chamber Competition. 

“We are so excited to welcome these 10 extraordinary musicians to our orchestra family,” said Maestro Miller.  “They are all absolutely brilliant artists who won highly competitive auditions. We are particularly honored and delighted to welcome Christina Bouey as our new concertmaster; she is an absolutely world-class artist, as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. We can’t wait to share with you how beautiful our great orchestra sounds!”

The 2024-2025 season runs through the American Music Festival in June. Season subscriptions are available and offer flexibility, convenience, and price savings. Through the Nielsen Associates’ Student Access Program, students can purchase discount subscriptions and enjoy the full benefits of being a subscriber for as little as $45. To purchase a subscription or single tickets, visit albanysymphony.com or call the Box Office at 518-694-3300.