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Rhapsody in Blue
Rhapsody in Blue
Saturday
Sep 21, 2024
7:30 PM
Sunday
Sep 22, 2024
3:00 PM
Winston-Salem Symphony
Ray Ushikubo Piano
Michelle Merrill Conductor
Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 2 in D Major
Program Notes
George Gershwin
Rhapsody in Blue
Program Notes
Richard Strauss
Suite from Der Rosenkavalier
Program Notes
Brahms’ Second Symphony, known for its sunny disposition and pastoral charm, sets the stage with its lyrical melodies and lush orchestration. Echoing this bright cheer, excerpts from Strauss’ opera Der Rosenkavalier evoke the elegance and romance of Viennese waltzes, captivating audiences with their sumptuous melodies and rich orchestral colors. Between, dazzling pianist Ray Ushikubo then takes center stage with Gershwin’s jazz- infused masterpiece, effortlessly blending classical refinement with the exuberance of American jazz, showcasing his virtuosity and versatility on the piano. Together, these works illuminate the concert hall with a kaleidoscope of emotions and musical brilliance, offering a captivating journey through 19th-century elegance and 20th-century innovation.
Pre-Concert Talk
Saturday at 6:30 PM | Sunday at 2:00 PM
All audience members are invited to join us in the Judy Voss Jones Fine Arts Center, directly behind Reynolds Auditorium on its west side, for a lively discussion about the music and surrounding context. Wake Forest University musicologist Dr. Megan Francisco will give insight to the works of Brahms, Gershwin, and Strauss. Pre-concert talks are free to attend, and occur one hour before any Classics Series concert.
Single tickets to this event go on sale August 1, but you can save your seat with a subscription!
Saturday
Sep 21
7:30 PM
Sunday
Sep 22
3:00 PM
Ray Ushikubo, piano
Known for his “disciplined focus and clarity… and marvelous dynamic nuance” (Arts Knoxville), Ray Ushikubo is a twenty-three-year-old Japanese-American pianist and violinist who has performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall, and appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Michelle Merrill, conductor
WSS Music Director Michelle Merrill served four years as the Assistant and then Associate Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and also serves as the Music Director of the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, where she has ignited the growth and expansion of the orchestra’s offerings both on and off the stage. Ms. Merrill is a proud recipient of a 2016 Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award as well as the prestigious 2013 Ansbacher Conducting Fellowship as awarded by members of the Vienna Philharmonic and the American Austrian Foundation, which enabled her to be in residence at the world-renowned Salzburg Festival.
Venue
Reynolds Auditorium
301 N. Hawthorne Rd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Rideshare and Dining
What will my view be like?
While Reynolds Auditorium’s sightlines and sound are best enjoyed in the Mezzanine, Orchestra-level seating also offers superb viewing and sound, especially in rows F through O. Please bear in mind that Reynolds Auditorium is a historic venue; there is no elevator, thus the Mezzanine and Balcony levels are only accessed via stairs. Accessible seating is available on the Orchestra level at the rear of the house and along the outside left and right.
Related Events
Drinks at The Remedy
Saturday evening, after the concert
The Remedy Cafe & Bar
492 West End Blvd.
After the Saturday concert, join us at The Remedy for a glass of wine and chat with Symphony musicians and fellow concertgoers in a hip, cozy atmosphere.
