In Thursday’s (9/23) Richmond Times Dispatch (Virginia), Holly Prestige writes, “A new music director at the helm and performances featuring works composed by a familiar face are some of the highlights coming this weekend as the Richmond Symphony kicks off its 2010-11 season. The first installment of the Altria Masterworks Series—Beethoven’s Ninth—premieres Saturday and Sunday at the Carpenter Theatre in Richmond CenterStage. It’ll be the inaugural season for the symphony’s new music director, Steven Smith, and feature works by Richmond native and composer Mason Bates. … Bates, who grew up in Richmond and is currently the resident composer for the Chicago Symphony, is coming back home for the symphony’s premiere weekend. His ‘Ode’ is a tribute to Beethoven’s Ninth, and ‘Sonic Panoply’ was commissioned specifically to launch the symphony’s 2010-11 season. In between Bates’ works will be Vaughan Williams’ English romantic choral piece, ‘Serenade to Music.’ The symphony has seen a significant jump in the number of advance subscriptions purchased for the three main concert series, symphony officials said, ranging from 21 percent to 84 percent over this time last year.”
Posted September 24, 2010
