A Tchaikovsky tour de force! Macon-born violinist extraordinaire Robert McDuffie makes a welcome return with the composer’s adored and brilliant Violin Concerto. The blazing “Francesca” and great, soul-baring “Winter” Symphony complete an evening of Russian passion.

October 9/10/11, 2008, 8pm (Thursday/Friday/Saturday)

TCHAIKOVSKY: Francesca da Rimini
TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto in D
TCHAIKOVSKY: Symphony No. 1 “Winter Dreams”

ROBERT SPANO, conductor
ROBERT MCDUFFIE, violin

The esteemed Maestro Slatkin, dean of American conductors, launches the ASO’s four-week Made in
America Festival, celebrating music and masterpieces written in the USA. Rachmaninoff’s crowning symphonic achievement anchors an evening that also features giants Bernstein and Barber.

October 30/31 and November 1, 2008, 8pm (Thursday/Friday/Saturday)

BERNSTEIN: Symphony No. 1, “Jeremiah”
BARBER: Piano Concerto
RACHMANINOV: Symphonic Dances

LEONARD SLATKIN, conductor
GARRICK OHLSSON, piano
KELLEY O’CONNOR, mezzo-soprano

Experience the illuminating Mr. Shaham as he performs Brahms’s show-stopping concerto. Roberto Abbado, a valued friend of the Orchestra, leads Prokofiev’s inspired ode to the triumph of the human spirit.

January 8/9/10, 2009, 8pm (Thursday/Friday/Saturday)

BRAHMS: Violin Concerto
PROKOFIEV: Symphony No. 5

ROBERTO ABBADO, conductor
GIL SHAHAM, violin

Tchaikovsky’s joyous fantasia on Italian melodies opens a bravura program. Horacio Gutierrez’s elegant style enlivens Prokofiev’s concerto – by turns playful and serene. The dynamism of Beethoven flourishes in his towering Seventh Symphony. Nicola Luisotti, the San Francisco Opera’s music director-designate, conducts in his ASO debut.

March 12/13/14, 2009, 8pm (Thursday/Friday/Saturday)

TCHAIKOVSKY: Capriccio Italien
PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No. 3
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 7

NICOLA LUISOTTI, conductor
HORACIO GUTIERREZ, piano

The acclaimed composer of Rainbow Body, Christopher Theofanidis brings his melodic gifts and brilliant orchestral colors to a new work commissioned by Robert Spano in a world-premiere weekend! Gershwin’s Concerto in F is an irresistible synthesis of jazz and classical music, realized here by
the remarkable Mr. Roberts, who wowed Atlanta audiences with his astonishing performances of Rhapsody in Blue.

April 2/3/4, 2009, 8pm (Thursday/Friday/Saturday)

BARBER: Second Essay for Orchestra
GERSHWIN: Concerto in F
THEOFANIDIS: WORLD PREMIERE

ROBERT SPANO, conductor
MARCUS ROBERTS, piano

The breathtaking images of Machu Pichu, floating island villages and the expanses of the Peruvian plains are matched to stirring and moving music from the ancient sounds of El Condor Pasa, to recently rediscovered brilliant music from the time of the Conquistadores all the way to the thrilling sounds of the first new classical voices of the 21st century in Latin America. It is a journey of the heart and soul through timeless landscape and memorable music.

May 28/30, 2009, 8pm (Thursday/Saturday)
Friday Subscribers choose Thursday or Saturday

THE INCA TRAIL/ CAMINOS DEL INKA

A musical journey through the ancient Inca Empire with specially created videography by the renowned Peruvian photographer Gabriela Fit.

MIGUEL HARTH-BEDOYA, conductor
JESSICA WARREN-ACOSTA, flute