“Michael Stern has the golden touch when it comes to putting together a concert season,” writes Patrick Neas in Friday’s (3/6) Kansas City Star (MO). “The music director of the Kansas City Symphony crafts a masterful blend of familiar audience favorites with intriguing contemporary works.… Stern also draws on his connections to bring some of the world’s greatest artists to town.… The Kansas City Symphony’s recently announced 2020-2021 season is a perfect example of Stern’s artful programming. Masterpieces of the classical repertoire, like Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, are juxtaposed with contemporary works like Fidl-Fantayze: A Klezmer Concerto by Noah Bendix-Balgley and the world premiere of a piano concerto by Gabriel Kahane … commissioned by the Kansas City Symphony…. Violinist Gil Shaham, who will perform Brahms’ Violin Concerto, and the wunderkind pianist Conrad Tao … in Gershwin’s jazzy Piano Concerto, are just two of the artists adding their luster.… Kansas City’s world-class homegrown stars will also have a chance to shine,” including organist Jan Kraybill and members of the Kansas City Symphony Chorus. “It’s a stellar season, and a perfect way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Helzberg Hall.”
Change font size
