Anne Manson to Conduct the Academy Chamber Orchestra
Concert will take place at Santa Barbara's First Presbyterian Church
For Immediate Release July 23, 2008
Contact:
Tim Dougherty
805.695.7908
Santa Barbara, CA – Trailblazing conductor Anne Manson will lead the Academy Chamber Orchestra in a program of works by Ives, Pēteris Vasks, Stravinsky, and Haydn at Santa Barbara's First Presbyterian Church on Saturday, August 9. Featuring Ives' The Unanswered Question, Vasks' Cantabile, Stravinsky's Concerto in D ("Basel"), and Haydn's Symphony No. 45 in f-sharp Minor ("Farewell), the concert will begin at 8 pm. Tickets cost $42.
Lauded by critics for her dynamic podium presence, her stylistic versatility, and her ability to draw audiences into the inner world of the composer, Anne Manson has made a career of chalking up historic milestones. The first woman to conduct at the Salzburg Festival, where she led the Vienna Philharmonic and a cast that included Samuel Ramey and Philip Langridge in a critically acclaimed production of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, Ms. Manson is one of only three women to have been appointed music director of a leading American symphony orchestra, directing the Kansas City Symphony from 1999 to 2003. She launched her career in 1988 as music director of the London-based Mecklenburgh Opera, where over a span of eight years she programmed operas ranging from Mozart to 20th-century rarities, while commissioning world premieres from numerous composers.
Ms. Manson, who made her debut with New York City Opera in the company's premiere of Samuel Barber's Vanessa in November 2007, has appeared on many of the world's most important concert stages. In Europe, she has led concerts with the Ensemble Intercontemporain, the London Philharmonic, the Royal National Scottish Orchestra, and the Residentie Orchestra of The Hague. In the United States, her engagements have included concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. She has recorded with the BBC Scottish Symphony, the Residentie Orchestra, the Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and the orchestras of Singapore and Iceland. The New York Times has hailed her "urgent and sensitive conducting."
The Music Academy will present the West Coast premiere of William Bolcom's opera A Wedding as well as performances by conductor Peter Oundjian and the Canadian Brass as part of the Academy's 61st Summer Festival. The Academy is presenting 188 events over the course of its 2008 Summer School and Festival, which began on June 23 and will conclude on August 16. Featuring the Academy's exceptionally talented Fellows, together with illustrious guest performers and faculty, the events are presented at the Academy's scenic Miraflores campus and in venues throughout Santa Barbara.
First Presbyterian Church is located at 21 East Constance Avenue in Santa Barbara. For information, call 969-8787. Information is also available online at www.musicacademy.org.
Founded in 1947, the Music Academy of the West is among the nation's preeminent summer schools and festivals for gifted young classical musicians. The Academy provides these promising musicians with the opportunity for advanced study and frequent performance under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty artists, as well as guest conductors and soloists. Admission to the Academy is strictly merit based, and Fellows receive full scholarships (tuition, room, and board). Academy alumni are members of major symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, and university and conservatory faculties throughout the world. Many enjoy careers as prominent solo artists. Based in Santa Barbara, the Music Academy of the West presents more than 200 public events annually, including performances by faculty, visiting artists, and Fellows; masterclasses; orchestra and chamber music concerts; and fully staged opera. The Music Academy will broadcast live performances by the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera at Hahn Hall beginning in October. For more information, visit www.musicacademy.org.
