Princeton University Orchestra Opens 120th Season Oct. 20-21

PRINCETON, NJ — The preparation for the beginning of the Princeton University Orchestra’s (“PUO”) opens its 120th season was different than the 119 that have come before. The orchestra previously rehearsed at Richardson Auditorium at Alexander Hall, meaning it was in the hall from first practice to final performance.

In the buildup to this season — which begins with a pair of concerts on Friday, Oct. 20, and Saturday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. each night at Richardson Auditorium — the orchestra has practiced at the new Lewis Arts complex.
The adjustable acoustics of the Lee Music Performance and Rehearsal Room allow the ensemble to prepare their programs in a setting that enables a greater range of fine-tuning, according to the orchestra.

“PUO marks the beginning of a new era, with the opening of the magnificent Lewis Arts complex, by performing three treasures from the core repertory,” said Director Michael Pratt, who is celebrating his 40th season with the orchestra.

The season-opening programs cover a wide range of programming, showcasing the diverse talents of the ensemble, including the Overture to Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a collaboration with internationally renowned pianist and performance faculty member Geoffrey Burleson in Beethoven’s fourth piano concerto, and a triumphant finish with Mahler’s first symphony, “The Titan.”

“Princeton faculty member Geoffrey Burleson brings his work and insight as an international soloist to Beethoven’s most mysterious and thrilling concerto, No. 4 for piano. PUO continues exploring the Mahler cycle with his Symphony No. 1, full of the angst and joy of a passionate young man,” Pratt said. “On a personal note, I started my first season at Princeton 40 years ago with a production of The Magic Flute and hope I’ll be pardoned for indulging myself in so marking this anniversary.”

Tickets to these concerts are $15 for general admission, $5 for students and are available at music.princeton.edu or by calling 609-258-9220.

Pratt, at the helm of Princeton University’s Program in Musical Performance -- the first of its kind in the nation -- has overseen a tremendous expansion of performance activities at the Department of Music. The university calls Burleson, “a testament to the prestigious level of the performance faculty at the university.”

A member of the department since 2001, and equally active as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician, and jazz performer, pianist Burleson has been hailed by the New York Times for his “vibrant and compelling” solo performances, and his “rhythmic brio, projection of rhapsodic qualities, appropriate sense of spontaneity, and rich colorings.”

Currently recording Camille Saint-Saëns: Complete Piano Works on five CDs for the new Naxos Grand Piano label, volumes released so far have received high praise from Gramophone, International Record Review, Diapason (France) and have garnered International Piano Choice Awards from International Piano Magazine.

He is also Professor of Music and Director of Piano Studies at Hunter College-City University of New York, and is on the piano faculties of the CUNY Graduate Center, International Keyboard Institute and Festival (New York City), and the Interharmony International Music Festival (Italy).

The Princeton University Orchestra is made up of Princeton undergraduate student musicians. Now in its 120th year, the orchestra plays a wide range of works by composers from the Classical period up through freshly composed works by Princeton composers.

Highlights this season include Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy with guest-conductor DG Kim ‘18, and a performance of Britten’s War Requiem Op. 66 with the Princeton University Glee Club and Princeton Pro Musica, commemorating the centenary of the end of World War I.

The image attached to this post was provided by the Princeton University Orchestra.