ASO Tour 2007

Welcome to the ASO Tour Blog

On February 26, 2007, Music Director Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra embarked on a 5-city, six-concert tour of Florida’s premiere concert venues: Carnival Center for the Performing Arts in Miami (February 26); Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach (February 27); Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in Sarasota (February 28 and March 1); Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, University of Florida in Gainesville (March 3); and the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center in Orlando (March 4).  By tour's end, more than 10,000 denizens across the Sunshine State will have heard the Orchestra in programs featuring Christopher Theofanidis’ Rainbow Body, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22 with Emanuel Ax at the piano, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade.  The following pictorial blog visually showcases some of the highlights of the ASO tour. 

Day 1, February 26 – On Your Mark…

Checking in over 120 musicians, family members, and crew is no easy task, but the personnel of the ASO (Left to Right -- Nate Casey, John Sparrow, Susanne Watts, and Rachel Hermanson ) did it flawlessly. 

Day 1, February 26 – On Your Mark…

Over 250 pieces of luggage – including suitcases, instrument cases, and wardrobe trunks – were transported to Florida.

Day 1, February 26 – Get Set…

ASO musicians take one more check of their belongings before leaving the Memorial Arts building at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta.

Day 1, February 26 – GO

And we’re off! 

Day 1, February 26 – Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, Miami

We made it to Miami The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Robert Spano, and pianist Emanuel Ax will kick off the Florida tour at Miami's new Carnival Center (see photo).

   

Concert 1, February 26 – Some Enchanted Evening

The ASO wowed audiences in Miami with a program that featured Rainbow Body by “Atlanta School of Composers” member Christopher Theofanidis.  The Orchestra sounded resilient in this new hall!

Lawrence Johnson of The Miami Herald writes of the ASO performance: "The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra kicked off its five-city Florida tour on Monday at the Carnival Center...Built into a fine ensemble by esteemed conductor Robert Shaw, the Atlanta Symphony has always enjoyed a worthy reputation. But under the dynamic Robert Spano, the orchestra has risen to an even more impressive level."

Concert 1, February 26 – Emanuel Ax Plays Mozart

Concert, February 26 – Emanuel Ax Plays Mozart

Following the Theofanidis work the Orchestra and the incomparable Emanuel Ax played Mozart’s crystalline Piano Concerto No. 22. 

Lawrence Johnson of The Miami Herald writes: "Ax's genial musicianship is well suited to Mozart, and his finesse and sparkling articulation were consistently stylish and idiomatic. While Spano's accompaniment uncovered much expressive nuance and scoring details, Ax's nonchalant charm was largely on the surface."

Concert 1, February 26 – A Resounding Success

The concert ended with a passionate reading of Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances.  The crowd leapt to their feet and cried for more, which is exactly what the got!  Robert Spano and the ASO performed Brahms’ Symphonic Dances No. 1 as a rousing encore.  The evening was an overwhelming success.

Lawrence Johnson of The Miami Herald comments on the ASO's performances of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances:  "Symphonic Dances still offers Rachmaninoff's brand of dark-hued lyricism, fiery drive and the obligatory Dies Irae,all elements powerfully present in Monday's performance. Spano deftly resisted the urge of most conductors to turn the Symphonic Dancesinto a mere showpiece for brilliant display. Rather, the conductor's lean, acutely focused direction made the musical values shine forth with power and daunting clarity. He correctly took a slower tempo than usual for the opening movement, making the music seem more massive and Russian. While investing the music with bristling drive, Spano also kept the music lean and driven, with explosive brilliance in the concluding movement."

Concert 1, February 26 - Visiting with Cherished Friends:

Judy Drucker President and Founding Artistic Director of the Concert Association of Florida, Inc.and noted author, commentator and respected radio personality Martin Bookspan backstage following the concert.

 

Concert 1, February 26 - Visiting with Cherished Friends:

ASO Vice President and General Manager John Sparrow visits with acoustician of the new Carnival Center Russell Johnson.

   

Day 2, February 27 -- Out for a Stroll

Its a beautiful day in Miami and a few members of the Orchestra take a quick stroll before heading to the buses for the quick trip to West Palm Beach. 

Day 2, February 27 -- Palm Beach Here We Come

Time to say "goodbye Miami...hello West Palm!"  ASO musicians take a few moments to enjoy the Miami breeze before bording the buses that will take us all to West Palm Beach and the Kravis Center.

Concert 2, February 27 -- Warming Up

Taking the stage at the Kravis center for another amazing evening of music making.

Concert 2, February 27 -- Last Minute Fine Tuning

Concert 2, February 27 -- An Amazing Evening at the Kravis Center

Robert Spano, Emanuel Ax, and the ASO amaze a near sellout crowd at the Kravis Center!

Sharon McDaniel of the Palm Beach Post reviews the concert:  The Atlanta Symphony just won two Grammy Awards and contributed to a third. That may account for the 1,900 people — one of the largest attendance figures in recent weeks — who thronged the Kravis Center Tuesday night.

   

"...Ax played the entire concerto with a woodwind-like smoothness. Notes rippled from one to the next as if supported by a column of air.  Usually, that kind of keyboard control comes at a price — and you pay extra if you also want it to sound like music. Ax offered buy one, get one free, the most compelling of all deals."

"Theofanidis definitely has fine ideas and grows the seeds beautifully...based on his piece alone [Rainbow Body], I'd like to take Atlanta's entire cello section home with me."

"In the Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances as well as the encore, Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 1, Spano really gets into his strengths. Rhythms are crisp; the approach is authoritative.... And again, those cellos are captivating. They're the ideal waltz partners. But fired up, they're the precursors of orchestral lightning."

Concert 2, February 28 - Post Concert Congratulations

Susan Tilley, Regional Arts Administrator, Kravis Center for the Performing Arts congratulates Robert Spano and Emanuel Ax following another evening of great music making.

Concert 3, February 28 -- The Excitement Continues

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Robert Spano take Sarasota's Van Wezel by storm!

Concert 3, February 28 -- Bravo!

Audiences at Sarasota's Van Wezel Hall lept to their feet after a stellar performance of Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherazade.

Gayle Williams of the

Sarasota

Herald-Tribune writes:

“The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under the energetic and adventurous leadership of conductor Robert Spano, provided a glittering display of both potency and finesse in its Wednesday night concert at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Rimsky Korsakov’s “Sheherazade” is packed with juicy bits that showcase all aspects of any orchestra.”

“…the strings were full bodied and sure. The full, rich sound of the entire orchestra was impressive — all the more so as various soloists arose from the texture of this musical tale. 

Atlanta

’s mix of virile brass and robust woodwinds provided an entertaining and varied aural experience that was well executed.”

“Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra have gained a reputation as champions of newer music composed by a host of young composers, one of whom is Christopher Theofanidis…If all orchestras had the means to present new music continuously and with such a high standard of performance as Atlanta, the classical music community and those who enjoy this art form would be all the more rich for it.”