Symphony Spotlight - 3/4/21

Symphony Spotlight

Happy Music in Our Schools Month and Women's History Month! We are excited to share with you our many Rachmaninoff's Third events, as well as insight into the life of Sergei Rachmaninoff.

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Sergei Rachmaninoff

Born in 1873, Sergei Rachmaninoff had a troubled childhood that left him an intensely expressive and emotional composer, for which he was singled out as a kindred spirit by his idol and mentor Tchaikovsky. Following the death of Tchaikovsky, a distraught Rachmaninoff labored through the composition of his Symphony No. 1. Its 1897 premiere was poorly executed, as the conductor misused rehearsal time and was rumored to have been intoxicated during the performance. The piece was poorly received and panned by critics, but Rachmaninoff was most disheartened by his own distaste for the work. He fell into depression and composed almost nothing for the next three years. In 1900, at his aunt's entreaty, Rachmaninoff sought professional help. From January to April, he underwent daily hypnotherapy and psychotherapy with physician Nikolai Dahl, and by the summer, he resumed composition with verve. Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 was finished in April 1901, and was dedicated to his friend Nikolai Dahl.

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Music in Our Schools Month

In celebration of Music in Our Schools Month, the Albany Symphony would like to recognize music educators. We are beyond grateful for your efforts to inspire your students and keep the joy of music alive, especially when students need it most.


Backstage at the Symphony - Albany High School

This year, David Alan Miller and composers featured on Albany Symphony programs have virtually sat down with students from Albany High School. We discussed the question: can instrumental music be political? The question was posed in the days following our January 9th concert. It was a timely discussion given the Albany Symphony’s inclusion of Jessie Montgomery’s piece ‘Banner’ on the program and the events of the week.  No one would have predicted that days before the concert the entire world would witness the storming of The Capitol, an international symbol for democracy. Students identified liberty, rights, and justice as universal American ideals they’d been taught and the inequities in education and law enforcement. It was agreed that Montgomery’s piece reflected this tension in various ways. One student noted how for a moment she felt disoriented and then magically everything “just came together”. Another student noted how moments in the music felt layered with many different things that created something even more beautiful. Collectively they concluded that it is important for music like this to be created and heard as it captures both a moment in time and the eternal nature of our nation.

On March 30th, we are expanding the post-concert talk into a virtual field trip for all Capital District high school music classes. If you have a teacher or class you’d like to be invited, email jenaeg@albanysymphony.com.

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Shine Watch Party!

In anticipation of our upcoming Rachmaninoff’s Third performance, we’re inviting you to join us on Friday, March 12th for a viewing party of the movie Shine. The movie focuses on the life of pianist David Helfgott, and the challenges that he faced in his mental health and musical career, including the daunting Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto. It’s the perfect way to get excited for Inon Barnatan’s dazzling performance on Saturday, March 13!

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Click the button below to make a donation to the Albany Symphony, and help make these virtual activities possible!

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