Department of Music

• Saturday, September 27 2008
• Old Cabell Hall
• 8:00pm
• From $10 to $35 and 10ARTS$ for UVA Students

• Sunday, September 28
• Monticello High School
• 3:30pm
• From $10 to $35 and 10ARTS$ for UVA Students

CHARLOTTESVILLE — The Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra will kick off its 2008-09 Epic Season with "Symphonic Dances,” a concert with works by Argento, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff. This will be the first subscription concert of the 2008-09 season, and it will be conducted by Music Director Kate Tamarkin. The concert will be on Saturday, September 27 at 8:00pm at Old Cabell Hall, with a second performance on Sunday, September 28 at 3:30pm at Monticello High School.

The “Symphonic Dances” concert is about beginnings, endings, and renewals. The renewal comes first, in the form of Dominick Argento’s sparkling and sexy Valentino Dances. Based on music from his opera about the legendary Rudolph Valentino, these dances are a way for the composer to create a new work out of an existing one. In this case, the results are ravishing and irresistible.

Our soloists for the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante are violinist Max Rabinovitsj, former concertmaster of the St. Louis Symphony and the Cincinnati Symphony, and our own principal violist Ayn Balija. Mr. Rabinovitsj and his wife relocated to Charlottesville two years ago and their presence has already enriched our cultural community. He first performed with our orchestra last June at our Art Strings Gala. We are privileged to welcome him back for these subscription series performances with Ms. Balija.

Longtime CUSO audience members will remember the orchestra’s former music director, Carl Roskott, who passed away this summer. Our concert concludes with a performance dedicated to his memory: Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, the Russian master’s last completed composition.

The common denominator throughout this program is dance. Throughout the performances of Argento, Mozart, and Rachmaninoff, you will feel your feet tapping and your mind’s ear will overflow with gorgeous melodies.

Free pre-concert lectures will be held 45 minutes before each concert on both days. Saturday’s lecture will be held at nearby Minor Hall on the UVA Grounds. Sunday’s lecture will be held in the Forum at Monticello High School. They will be led by McIntire Department of Music Associate Professor Richard Will. In addition, Ms. Tamarkin will continue her popular “Noon Notes” lecture series. “Noon Notes” is held each Friday before concert weekends, at noon, in the Northside branch of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library.