BSO_Overture_Sept2021_r24 | Page 36

PROGRAM NOTES

BRUCH AND SIBELIUS

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Dalia Stasevska
Randall Goosby
Dalia Stasevska’ s charismatic and dynamic musicianship has established her as a conductor of exceptional versatility. Chief Conductor of the Lahti Symphony Orchestra from the 2021-22 season and Artistic Director of the International Sibelius Festival, Stasevska also holds the post of Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She made her BBC Proms debut in 2019 and conducted the Last Night of the Proms in 2020. In 2021 she conducted the First Night of the BBC Proms and opened the 2021 Edinburgh International Festival.
Highlights of the 2021-22 season include debuts with the New York Philharmonic and the Baltimore and Seattle symphony orchestras, as well as the Orchestre National de Lyon and the opening of the Tongyeong International Music Festival with soloist Truls Mørk. Engagements have included the Orchestre National de France, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. A passionate opera conductor, she returns to Den Norske Opera to conduct Madama Butterfly and Lucia di Lammermoor.
Stasevska studied as a violinist and composer at the Tampere Conservatoire and violin, viola, and conducting at the Sibelius Academy. She was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’ s Conductor Award in 2020.
Signed exclusively to Decca Classics in 2020 at the age of 24, violinist Randall Goosby is acclaimed for the sensitivity and intensity of his musicianship and his determination to make music more inclusive and accessible, as well as bringing the music of under-represented composers to light.
Highlights of Goosby’ s 2021-22 season include debuts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel, Detroit Symphony under Jader Bignamini, London Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
2021 marks the release of Goosby’ s debut album entitled Roots, a celebration of African- American music that explores its evolution from the spiritual through to present-day compositions. It features world-premiere recordings of music written by Florence Price and works by William Grant Still and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, as well as a newly commissioned piece by Xavier Foley.
Goosby made his debut with the Jacksonville Symphony at age nine. At age 13, he performed with the New York Philharmonic on a Young People’ s Concert at Lincoln Center and became the youngest recipient to win the Sphinx Concerto Competition. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he continues his studies there, pursuing an Artist Diploma under Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho.
Dalia Stasevska
Randall Goosby
Experience the Performance Again A livestream of this performance is available for a limited time. A BSO Sessions episode, featuring an interview with Dalia Stasevska, is available through the 2021-22 season.
Kaupo Kikkas Jarmo Katila
FROM THE PODIUM
by Dalia Stasevska
As a longtime admirer of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the work of Marin Alsop, I am honored to open the new season, and I ' m excited to bring along some Nordic music that is very dear to me. I moved to Finland when I was five, and it feels like the Finnish composer Sibelius has always been in my life. Before I even knew that I wanted to be a conductor, I was in love with the orchestra, and I was able to play one of Sibelius’ symphonies for the first time when I was 14 or 15, as a violinist with my school orchestra. I find constant joy and discovery in his music!
In the Second Symphony, you can feel Sibelius’ heart bumping for something new and exciting right from the first motive. He can’ t wait to explore it. Sibelius composed part of the symphony in Italy, where he traveled to get fresh new ideas, and it feels as if he combines the
Italian sun with the magic of Finnish forests and lakes. Most of Finland is forests and lakes, and you feel that presence everywhere: the silence, the smell of it. We have a deep respect for nature, the Finnish people. This is a very deep and personal work for Sibelius,“ a confession of my soul,” as he once said.
With Andrea Tarrodi, it’ s the same as with Sibelius— I can hear her strong bond with nature. Her music is powerful and fragile at the same time, and she is a master of tone colors. She has this special color and mood that immediately draws you into a magical, mysterious world. You get a feeling from it, and music has to have feeling. It has to tell you a story. I ' m looking forward so much to exploring this music with the wonderful musicians of the BSO!
SEP-OCT 2021 / OVERTURE 17