On Friday, May 18, at 8 pm, at the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Oakland, Maestro Michael Morgan will conduct Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade after Plato’s Symposium for Violin and Orchestra, followed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Op. 74, Symphony No. 6, “Pathêtique” in B Minor.
As a young conductor, Michael came to know Leonard Bernstein at the Boston Symphony’s Tanglewood Summer Academy for Advanced Music in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and continued their relationship throughout Bernstein’s life. Michael is thrilled by any opportunity to play and interpret the works of Leonard Bernstein, something he has been able to do many times over his 25 years as the Music Director and Conductor of the Oakland Symphony.
As the Symphony’s website explains with regard to the May 18 program: In this concert, we champion the role of the artist in society — as social activist, provocateur, and change-maker. Leonard Bernstein’s prodigious musical gifts mirrored his lifelong — and sometimes controversial commitment— to promoting political change. Music for Bernstein was also a means of creating mutual understanding and peace. His Serenade drew its inspiration from Plato’s Symposium — a dialogue in praise of love. It has been suggested that Tchaikovsky’s “Pathêtique” deals with the power of Fate in life and death.
The two major works presented together in this concert dedicated to The Artist’s Struggle, is one example of the brilliant and original programming we have come to know and love about Maestro Morgan’s particular musical genius.
As is our tradition of concert sponsorship over the past several years, and our belief in the importance of a strong connection between business, the arts, and community, we will be attending the concert with over 150 Bell clients, all of whom are also invited to attend the reception following, where our guests will share in light refreshments and have an opportunity to meet Michael Morgan and guest soloist, violinist Liana Berube, originally from Canada. While Ms. Berube is a regular member of the Oakland Symphony, she is also a founding member of the popular Delphi Trio, and a well-known solo violinist in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Program notes and tickets are available at oaklandsymphony.org.