The Las Vegas Philharmonic at Jetsetters Magazine

LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC

2005-2006 SEASON

Beethoven Was Not Cute - The Las Vegas Philharmonic treated its guests to a concert exclusively of works by this musical genius (Beethoven, not Schroeder). Ludwig von Beethoven wrote some truly heroic music in his time, and his talent made the composer’s contemporaries forgive his dour nature. As Schroeder indignantly corrected Lucy in the Peanuts comic strip, “Beethoven was NOT cute!”

100 Years Of Hoopla In Las Vegas - In 2005 Las Vegas turned 100 years old! Our city has been celebrating all year, and amidst the hoopla, some special pieces of music were commissioned for performance by the Las Vegas Philharmonic. These works are being premiered throughout the 2005-2006 season, adding to the world-class music the Phil has been performing for years.

2004-2005 SEASON

Star Spangled Spectacular - It was a 4th on the firth at Hills Park in Las Vegas, with fireworks.

What Happens In Las Vegas, Happens Everywhere - Gambling, drinking, and lust: the Las Vegas Philharmonic ended its 2004-2005 season with musical works reflecting our city’s three core values..

We Came, We Saw, We Smiled - Greek gods! Beasts and birds! Shenanigans! Peace offerings! Toga parties! Tonight’s performance by the Las Vegas Philharmonic, titled “A World in Harmony,” was a veritable fun-house of images. I’ll try to limit my use of exclamation points.

Music of the Spheres - Composers have long described the natural world in music: Beethoven wrote his sensual “Pastoral” Symphony, Stravinsky the tempestuous “Rite of Spring,” Led Zeppelin the “Misty Mountain Hop.” (You may have different examples.) Few, however, can surpass Gustav Holst’s spectacular suite, The Planets, performed tonight by the Las Vegas Philharmonic.

Peaceful Classics - It’s eight o’clock. Do you know where your children are? If they live in Las Vegas, they most likely were singing in “A Holiday Celebration,” the annual Christmas concert by the Las Vegas Philharmonic. This year’s performance featured not one but two choral groups: the Las Vegas Master Singers and the huge University Children’s Chorale. People out in town must have wondered where all the kids had gone.

Empire of Genius - Vienna seems to have had a strong gravitational pull on composers from all over Europe. The seat of the mighty Hapsburg Empire attracted, among others, Mozart from his hometown of Salzburg, Beethoven from Bonn, and Brahms from Hamburg. These historic composers would be featured in this season’s second performance by the Las Vegas Philharmonic, “Memoirs from Vienna ".

Images In Sound - Las Vegas Philharmonic opened its sixth season in living color with picturesque works by Wagner and Mussorgsky as well as Tchaikovsky’s rule-breaking Piano Concerto No. 1.

2003-2004 SEASON -

Season Premier -Spirit of America - Just as the erotic new Las Vegas show "Zumanity" is billed as "Another side of Cirque du Soleil," the season premiere of the Las Vegas Philharmonic could be called "Another side of American music." If you didn't think American orchestral music was serious, this concert would change your mind.

FINN - ished Classics Visit Vegas - If you thought Scots Gaelic was an unusual language, you should see Finnish. Jean Sibelius was born in 1865 in the town of Hämeenlinna and died in 1957 in Järvenpää. (The Finns must have invaded Poland and made off with half of their vowels.)

From The Heart Of Europe - Is Germany the "heart of Europe"? Other nations might disagree, but I'll give the Germans the benefit of the doubt because I'm going to poke a bit of fun at them. In its second performance of -the 2003-2004 season, "From the Heart of Europe," the Las Vegas Philharmonic featured three works from Teutonic geniuses Paul Hindemith, Felix Mendelssohn, and Johannes Brahms.

Season Finale - Romantic Russian Rondo - The Russians are coming! And it's a good thing. In the finale performance of the 2003-2004 season, "Russian Romantics," the Las Vegas Philharmonic featured works from three great ones: Kabalevsky, Rachmaninoff, and some guy named Tchaikovsky.

LAS VEGAS PHILHARMONIC --2002-2003 SEASON

The Phil Thrills Vegas - Culture arrives in the Naked City. Our new Entertainment Editor, Rob LaGrone, takes you on a high society cultural review of the 4th annual premier of the Las Vegas Philharmonic season. And you thought there were only slot machines in Vegas.

Yuletide Celebration - The Las Vegas Philharmonic makes the music that makes the Holidays. Religious or secular, solemn or silly, the two go together like the milk and cookies you leave for Santa (provided he's not becoming lactose-intolerant).

The Piano Star of Orion - Las Vegas is full of visiting and resident musical acts that are past their prime. Acclaimed pianist Orion Weiss isn't one of them. Weiss was guest soloist with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and the star of the show.

The Stunning Romantics - Sibelius Violin Concerto - "Stradivarius" refers to an instrument crafted by Antonio Stradivari, born in Italy in 1644. He built cellos, guitars, and even harps but is best known for making the most distinctive violins in the world.

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CARTIER CONNOISSEUR SERIES (Soirees)

2005-2006 Series

2-1/2 Centuries Of Mozart Sonatas - In the midst of our city’s 100^th anniversary, the Las Vegas Philharmonic is celebrating a much older one: the 250^th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A veritable feast of the great composer’s works will be performed by the Phil at their February 25, 2006 concert, but tonight we were treated to a Mozart “snack” at a Cartier Connoisseur Soirée.

Sweet Strings Soiree - Four little strings can easily be swallowed up by the vast space of a concert hall, but in a more intimate setting the soft-spoken violin finds the perfect venue. In tonight’s Cartier Connoisseur Soirée performance, held in the elegant home of Susan and Tom Schoeman, the great Bulgarian violinist Angel Stankov and Las Vegas pianist Barbara Riske filled our ears with sweet sound.

Home Grown Talent - Soirée season opened in grand style here in Las Vegas. Make that concert-grand style. Two brilliant young pianists were hand-picked by Las Vegas Philharmonic conductor Hal Weller for an evening performance in the lovely home of Larry and Linda Harrison.

2004-2005 Series

Got Horns? - Just the other day I was downtown when I heard a distant trumpet. Instantly I could tell it wasn’t a recording. Sure enough, a street musician was performing two blocks away, and the breeze carried the clear notes easily to my ears. It sharpened my anticipation for tonight’s performance, the final Soirée of the Cartier Connoisseur Series.

2003-2004 Series

SHHH ! Genius At Work - Drawing on the success of the Las Vegas Philharmonic's Connoisseur Soirée Series, the Nevada School of the Arts held a special recital by several of its finest students. The event was held at the Spanish Trails Country Club to raise money for ongoing instructional programs at the school and increase awareness of the amazing talent that NSA has been nurturing for over 25 years in our city.

First Bass, Home Bass -
I grew up in the country, so when I see the word "bass," I still think of a fish. Please don't carp about my crappie pronunciation. Besides, the sole topic of this feature is classical music.

Ju Young Baek - No Sympathy for the Devil - Why Does The Devil Always Play A Fiddle? Violinist Ju Young Baek stood before the group of music lovers and introduced the first piece, a sonata for violin and piano known as Il Trillo del Diavolo — The Devil's Trill.

World Soiree - Celino and Lito Romero - All rise! Celino and Lito Romero are the third generation of a family that is considered royalty in the world of classical guitar music.

2002-2003 SOIRÉES

Cartier Connoisseur Soireé - It is a fine art garden party, a night of exquisite talent playing the classics, from Sergei Rachmaninoff to Valse-scherzo' from Libertango to Dmitri Shostakovich. Attend the Soireé!

Soprano With Piano - Sylvia McNair - The Cartier Connoisseur Soiree Series continues with songstress McNair's subdued operatic silky soprano wowing the private patrons at the Red Rock Countryclub.

The Cartier Connoisseur Soiree Series - Continues with Zuill Bailey performing classical pieces from Bach to Casals, all on a cello. And what an instrument! Zuill plays a cello that was built in 1693 by Italian craftsman Matteo Goffriller. You'll like Zuill.

Cartier Connoisseur Soiree Series - With French Horn - French horn is a high-risk instrument: a fairly large horn with a small mouthpiece, it requires a very tight embouchure (mouth positioning).