CHARLOTTESVILLE SYMPHONY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA PRESENTS SCHEHERAZADE IN APRIL CONCERTS
The Charlottesville Symphony invites audiences to experience an evening of vivid storytelling and sweeping orchestral color with its April performances of Scheherazade, conducted by Benjamin Rous. Concerts will take place on Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 PM in Old Cabell Hall at the University of Virginia, and Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 PM at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center.
The program features an exciting lineup of music that spans folklore, national identity, and timeless legend. Guest concertmaster Daniel Sender, appearing through the generous support of the Angus Macaulay Visiting Artists Fund, will be featured as the violin soloist in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.
The concert opens with Sofia Gubaidulina’s Fairytale Poem, a whimsical and imaginative work based on the children’s story by Czech writer Miloš Macourek title “The Little Piece of Chalk.” Through delicate orchestration, the piece brings to life the story of a piece of chalk that dreams of drawing beautiful and imaginative images, instead of geometric symbols and boring numbers on a chalkboard. In the end a child finds the chalk and brings its dreams to live as the child draws fantastical castles, gardens, and the sea.
Next is Jean Sibelius’s Finlandia, one of the most beloved symphonic poems in the repertoire. Written in 1899 as a protest against Russian censorship, the work has become a powerful symbol of Finnish national identity. Sibelius wrote “We fought 600 years for our freedom and I am part of the generation which achieved it. Freedom! My Finlandia is the story of this fight. It is the song of our battle, our hymn of victory.”
Following intermission, the orchestra presents Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, a dazzling orchestral suite inspired by the tales The Thousand and One Nights. With lush textures and exotic melodies, the work tells the story of the cunning Sultana Scheherazade, who spins captivating tales night after night to save her life. The solo violin represents Scheherazade’s voice, weaving through the orchestra with elegance and virtuosity.
Performance Details:
- Saturday, April 18, 7:30 PM – Old Cabell Hall, University of Virginia, (Tickets)
- Sunday, April 19, 3:30 PM – Martin Luther King, Jr. Performing Arts Center (Tickets)
Conductor: Benjamin Rous
Violin Soloist: Daniel Sender
Program:
Sofia Gubaidulina – Fairytale Poem
Jean Sibelius – Finlandia
Intermission
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Scheherazade
Major season support provided by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation. Concert sponsors are Lamplight Design Studios, David and Rosalyn Preston, and Stewart and Mary Buckle Searle. Daniel Sender’s performance is underwritten by the Angus Macaulay Visiting Artists Fund.
Concert details, ticket information, a digital pre-concert lecture, and program notes are available at CvilleSymphony.org.
PURCHASE tickets at www.artsboxoffice.virginia.edu. Single tickets are $10-$53 for adults and $10 for students.
UVA students may request one complimentary ticket in advance. Tickets may be purchased at the University of Virginia Arts Box Office, (434) 924-3376, 12:00-5:00pm, Tuesday through Friday in the lobby of the UVA Drama Building at 109 Culbreth Road, or online at www.artsboxoffice.virginia.edu.
ABOUT THE CHARLOTTESVILLE SYMPHONY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
The Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia brings together professional musicians, university faculty, and exceptional student performers in concerts that inspire, connect, and enrich the community. Under the direction of Benjamin Rous, the Symphony performs a dynamic mix of classical masterworks, contemporary compositions, and collaborative programs with university and community ensembles.The Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia presents the final concerts of the season on Saturday, April 18, 7:30 p.m. at Old Cabell Hall.
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Tickets can be purchased in advance through the UVA Arts Box Office and are usually sold at the door beginning one hour prior to start time.
All events are subject to change.