In Sunday’s (4/3) Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Texas), John Austin writes, “It’s hard to be all things to all people, but with a big-name country star, a concert of Warner Bros. cartoon music and a weekend festival of classic Americana as well as a loaded classical canon, the 2011-12 Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra season may be the closest thing outside of a giant jukebox. The just-announced season begins Aug. 26 with a three-day ‘Great Performance Festival: The Pride of America,’ featuring works by Aaron Copland, George Gershwin and Leonard Bernstein. … The American Airlines Symphonic Series begins Sept. 16. In addition to orchestral standards by Brahms, Beethoven, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, Mahler and others, audiences will have an opportunity to hear three pieces by new composer-in-residence John B Hedges. Hedges’ Fastball is slated for its world premiere during the March 23-25 performances. The series will also host an array of guest soloists. In addition to 2009 Cliburn gold medalist Haochen Zhang, other guest pianists include Arnaldo Cohen, Markus Groh and Alexander Ullman. Also on the series calendar: guest cellist Alisa Weilerstein and violinist Will Hagen.”
Posted April 4, 2011
