For Immediate Release

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Boston Symphony Chamber Players Announce 2008-09 Season

PERFORMANCES TO FEATURE BRAHMS, BRITTEN, DEBUSSY, MOZART, AND VILLA-LOBOS

SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY ANDRÉ PREVIN TO INCLUDE WORLD PREMIERE

BOSTON, MA — May 28, 2008 —The Boston Symphony Chamber Players’ 2008-09 season will take place over the course of four Sunday-afternoon concerts at Jordan Hall at the New England Conservatory of Music. The 2008-09 season offers a wealth of exciting chamber music that spans centuries. Among the highlights of the season are presentations of the great string quintets and string sextets of Johannes Brahms, a guest appearance by André Previn, British composer Oliver Knussen’s personal take on the medieval composer Perotin, and American composer Steve Mackey’s witty, engaging Never Sing Before Breakfast,for winds and pre-recorded sounds.

On November 2, 2008, the Chamber Players will present Mozart’s Divertimento No. 12 for winds, Michael Haydn’s Divertimento for horn, viola, and double bass, Villa-Lobos’ Quintette en forme de chôros, for wind quartet, and Brahms’ String Sextet No. 1.

The program for January 11, 2009, includes Rossini’s String Sonata, Dahl’s Allegro and Arioso, for wind quintet, Mackey’s Never Sing Before Breakfast,for winds and pre-recorded sounds, and Brahms’ String Quintet No. 1.

André Previn will join the BSCP on March 22 for performances of Poulenc’s Sextet for piano and winds, Debussy’s Sonata for flute, viola, and harp, Brahms’ String Quintet No. 2, and the world premiere of a brand-new work by Previn himself that was commissioned by the BSO.

The 2008-09 season will close on April 26, 2009, with performances of Knussen’s Alleluya Nativitas (Perotin), for flute, English horn, clarinet, bassoon, and horn, Adès’ Sonata da caccia¸ for oboe, horn, and harpsichord, Britten’s Sinfonietta, and Brahms String Sextet No. 2.

Boston Symphony Orchestra principal players featured in these performances include Malcolm Lowe and Haldan Martinson, violins; Steven Ansell, viola; Jules Eskin, cello; Edwin Barker, bass; Elizabeth Rowe, flute; John Ferrillo, oboe; William R. Hudgins, clarinet; Richard Svoboda, bassoon; Thomas Rolfs, trumpet; James Sommerville, horn; and Ronald Barron, trombone. The Brahms pieces will also feature BSO assistant principal violist Cathy Basrak and BSO assistant principal cellist Martha Babcock.

In addition to the Boston Symphony Chamber Players’ regular series of concerts in Boston and appearances at Tanglewood, they tour both nationally and internationally on a regular basis. The group has toured Europe, Japan, South America, and the former Soviet Union. The Chamber Players have a number of distinguished recordings to their credit, including a critically acclaimed disc of the Mozart and Brahms clarinet quintets with the late BSO principal clarinet Harold Wright on Philips. Their latest, an all-Mozart disc on the BSO’s own label, BSO Classics, was released in 2007.

Subscriptions to the Boston Symphony Chamber Players’ 2007-08 series are priced at $58, $74, and $100, and are available from the BSO’s Subscription Office by calling 617-266-7575.  Single tickets for the individual concerts are priced at $17, $22, and $30, and are available until the day of the performance through SymphonyCharge at 617-277-1200, at the Symphony Hall Box Office, or at the Jordan Hall Box Office at 30 Gainsborough Street.  On the day of the concert, tickets may only be purchased at Jordan Hall.  Jordan Hall is wheelchair-accessible. 

All programs are subject to change.  For current program information, dial 617-CONCERT (617-266-2378).

Boston Symphony Chamber Players: 2008-09 season programs

Sunday, November 2, 2008
MOZART Divertimento No. 12 in E-flat, K. 252, for winds
M. HAYDN Divertimento, for horn, viola, and double bass
VILLA-LOBOS Quintette en forme de chôros, for wind quintet
BRAHMS String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat, Op. 18

Sunday, January 11, 2009
ROSSINI String Sonata
DAHL Allegro and Arioso, for wind quintet
MACKEY Never Sing Before Breakfast, for wind quintet and pre-recorded sounds
BRAHMS String Quintet No. 1 in F, Op. 88

Sunday, March 22, 2009
with André Previn, piano
POULENC Sextet for piano and winds
DEBUSSY Sonata for flute, viola, and harp
PREVIN New work (world premiere; BSO commission)
BRAHMS String Quintet No. 2 in G, Op. 111

Sunday, April 26, 2009
KNUSSEN Alleluya Nativitas (Perotin) for flute, English horn, clarinet, bassoon, and horn
ADÈS Sonata da caccia¸ for oboe, horn, and harpsichord
BRITTEN Sinfonietta, Op. 1
BRAHMS String Sextet No. 2 in G, Op. 36

 

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