How does the Tucson Symphony Orchestra follow a season that saw a sold-out concert with one of the world's finest violinists, a trip to the planets, a journey to Middle-Earth and its first-ever commercial recording?
Try a little Mahler.
Actually, try a big Mahler — Mahler's monumental, five-movement Symphony No. 2 "The Resurrection."
That will likely be the biggest highlight of the TSO's 80th-anniversary season, which opens Sept. 25 with Concertmaster Steven Moeckel performing Beethoven's Violin Concerto.
This will be the orchestra's first Mahler performance since it tackled the 19th-century composer's Symphony No. 5 in 2006.
The Tucson Symphony Orchestra will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "The Resurrection" April 16, 17 and 19, 2009.
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"We've had a lot of success with Mahler in the past," said TSO Music Director George Hanson, who earned an international reputation for his Mahler interpretations while leading Germany's Wuppertal Symphony Orchestra. During his seven-season tenure that ended in 2002, he nearly completed the full cycle of 10 Mahler symphonies. He returned as a guest conductor over the next couple seasons to finish it.
Hanson said because of financial considerations, the TSO has limited its Mahler ambitions. Like many arts organizations locally and nationally, the TSO has seen a dip in ticket sales and donations in the past few years, much of it blamed on the overall economic downturn. The orchestra also has been locked in negotiations with the musicians since last spring over a new contract. The musicians have been playing without a ratified agreement all season.
Because of its precarious finances, the orchestra almost excluded the Mahler again this season. But Hanson said a pair of donors kicked in the $26,000 needed to bring in the extra musicians, TSO Chorus and guest vocalists for the 80-minute piece.
Hanson said the donors told him they believed the orchestra needed to follow up this season with a major work "in the interest of maintaining high-profile programming in the wake of the release of our recording."
The orchestra and French-Canadian pianist Alain Lefévre will record the world premiere of André Mathieu's Concerto No. 4 for Piano and Orchestra during concerts May 8-9 and 11. The Canadian label Analekta is expected to release the CD next fall.
"This is possibly the most important artistic event in the history of the TSO," Hanson said of the recording. "These people are putting money on the table. . . . They could have done this recording with one of several major symphony orchestras. They're betting on Tucson because of the experience Alain had down here with his Mathieu."
Lefévre, a passionate supporter of the French-Canadian composer Mathieu, has performed with the TSO twice in the past several years. In 2004, he and the TSO played the first-ever American performance of Mathieu's Quebec Concerto.
Hanson said the musicians overwhelmingly support the Mahler concert, despite their disagreements with management.
"For the orchestra, this is a must-do piece. This is kind of the crème de la crème from the musicians' perspective," TSO marketing director Sue DeBenedette said.
Other highlights from the 2008-09 season include a four-event Latin Festival that concludes with the 25-year-overdue encore from the Romeros Guitar Quartet next March; guest artists including The Smothers Brothers and The Lettermen next January and Bugs Bunny in March; and joint efforts including the world premiere of Daniel Asia's Symphony No. 5, a choral symphony for solo voices, a tenor, bass baritone, chorus and orchestra, to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary. The TSO co-commissioned the symphony with the America Israel Friendship League.
The orchestra also will team up with Arizona Friends of Chamber Music to present international award-winning violinist Ning Kam in November. The Singapore-born, American-educated violinist will perform with the Friends on Nov. 16, with the TSO Nov. 20-21 and 23, and with the Phoenix Symphony the last week in November.
"It's a wonderful, all-Arizona cooperation," said Friends President Jean-Paul Bierny. "It's amazing, in fact."
2008-09 season at a glance
Classics:
• Sept. 25-26, Beethoven and Shostakovich, featuring Concertmaster Steven Moeckel performing Beethoven's Violin Concerto.
• Oct. 23-24, Mendelssohn and Stravinsky's "Firebird," with guest pianist Povilas Stravinsky, a distant relative of the composer.
• Nov. 20-21 and 23, Brahms, Copland and Barber, featuring violinist Ning Kam performing Barber's Violin Concerto.
• Dec. 11-12 and 14, Mozart, Beethoven and Bartók, with guest conductor Guillermo Figueroa.
• Jan. 8-9 and 11, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky, with the return of guest pianist Fabio Bidini performing the Rach 3.
• Feb. 5-6 and 8, Bolero, Tango and Dance, with bandoneon master Daniel Binelli and featuring the UA School of Dance. Part of the Fiesta Latin series.
• March 5-6 and 8, Latin Flavor With The Romeros, featuring guest conductor Jorge Mester and the Romeros Guitar Quartet. Part of the Fiesta Latin series.
• May 7-8, River's Edge, a program devoted to rivers including Schumann's Symphony No. 3 "Rhenish" (Rhine).
MasterWorks Chamber Orchestra:
• Nov. 8-9, Beethoven, featuring the TSO Chorus and guest vocalist and the world premiere of Tucson composer Daniel Asia's Symphony No. 5.
• Jan. 17-18, Chopin and Mendelssohn, with guest pianist Spencer Myer performing Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1.
• Feb. 21-22, Latin Flair, with guest vocalist Kristin Dauphinais. Part of the Fiesta Latin series.
• March 21-22, Mozart, Rossini and Strauss, featuring principal Lindabeth Binkley performing Strauss' Oboe Concerto.
Pops:
• Oct. 31, Nov. 1-2, Big Band Blast, featuring guest pianist/conductor Rich Ridenour and vocalist Kathy Wagner.
• Dec. 19-21, Holiday Spectacular, featuring the return of guest conductor Michael Hall, Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo High School, Tucson Regional Ballet and the TSO Chorus.
• Jan. 23-25, The Lettermen.
• Feb. 13-15, The Broadway Tenors.
• March 13-15, A Tribute to Arthur Fiedler, featuring guest conductor Albert-George Schram and vocalist Tamra Hayden.
Specials:
• Dec. 5-7, "Messiah," featuring the TSO Chorus and guest soloists.
• Jan. 10, The Smothers Brothers.
• Feb. 7, pianist Horacio Gutierrez "Tchaikovsky and Gutierrez."
• March 28, 2009, Warner Bros. Studios presents "Bugs Bunny on Broadway," created and conducted by George Daugherty.
Moveable Musical Feasts:
• Oct. 26, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, featuring TSO String Orchestra and Wind Quintet.
• Dec. 31, Arizona Inn, with the TSO Piano Trio, soloists and Swing 'N the New Jazz Ensemble.
• March 29, 2009, Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, with the TSO String Quartet and Percussion Quartet.
• April 26, Hacienda del Sol, featuring the TSO Flute Viola Harp Trio and Brass Quintet.
