THE OSM’S SECOND CLASSICAL FLIGHT, JUNE 5
On Saturday, June 5, the virtues of the OSM become airport-sized: WHEN MUSIC HITS THE SKY starting at 7 p.m., 400 cars will be parked in front of the stage for the orchestral take-off under the direction of Dina Gilbert. Giant screens will be strategically placed in the space, and the audiovisual relays will have the impact of maximizing the experience and making it more intimate. This concert/happening will allow the OSM to offset some significant revenue losses caused by the pandemic, and to pursue its mission.
The OSM remains true to its high standards, promising optimal sound clarity for the radio broadcast of the performance in real time, for the greater satisfaction of the music lovers seated comfortably in the vehicles. Needless to say, the sanitary arrangements will comply with public health standards, in a hopeful context of hope, given the advanced stage of vaccination and the declining rates of COVID infections. The beginning of the end of the pandemic? Yes! That calls for major events, and here’s one that perfectly symbolizes this new beginning.
So Dina Gilbert returns to the OSM, where she was once assistant conductor and has since become a high-profile maestra, notably for her energy, precision and versatility. What’s more, the figurehead of the event is our greatest freestyle champion, the fiercely dedicated Mikaël Kingsbury, multiple Olympic gold medalist, six-time world freestyle champion in acrobatic skiing and… yes, a true lover of classical music!
This airborne athletic discipline is perfectly suited to the OSM’s encounter with this exceptional athlete, unquestionably our greatest and most noble representative of this sport. Let’s allow ourselves a variation of the proverb, because music (also) moves mountains.
Dina and Mikaël will bring their life experiences to bear, magnified by the works of Mozart, Brahms, Kodály and Dvořák.
DINA GILBERT
“I am excited to be reunited with the musicians of the OSM for this unique and exceptional project. A magical evening is in store, as everyone, music lovers and neophytes alike, will undoubtedly enjoy this concert. We especially need music, beauty and an evening like this to escape.”
MIKAËL KINGSBURY
“I was both surprised and happy that the OSM team asked me to be the spokesperson for Classical Flight. Few people know that I regularly listen to classical music when I want to concentrate during a competition. It’s what allows me to calm down and get into my bubble before my runs.”
ON THE CLASSICAL FLIGHT PROGRAM
Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Dina Gilbert, conductor
Mikaël Kingsbury, host
Timothy Chooi, violinist (winner of the 2010 MSO Competition)
Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, Overture (5 min)
The overture to The Marriage of Figaro, an opera buffa composed in 1785-86 by Wolfgang Amadeus, has a very fast tempo. The indicated tempo is Presto and the pulse is white. The starting key is D major. The energy and velocity of this overture fit perfectly into the program, needless to say.
Dinuk Wijeratne, Two Pop Songs on Antique Poems : I. « A letter from the After-life » (6 min)
Canadian composer Dinuk Wijeratne is a true stylistic omnivore, without getting bogged down in any of the fashionable trends of the day. His work combines beauty, technique and complexity with a convincing balance between consonant and dissonant music, a balance that a growing portion of the music-loving public has come to appreciate.
Sibelius, Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47, mov. I: Allegro moderato (17 min)
This concerto was composed by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius between 1903 and 1904, and revised in 1905. The dark and dramatic work has clearly stood the test of time, and is now considered one of the greatest violin concertos written in the previous century. There are over 150 recordings of it today. We will be treated to the first movement and the expertise of Canadian soloist Timothy Chooi, winner of several international competitions including the OSM’s in 2010.
Maxime Goulet, Citius, Altius, Fortius! (3 min)
Citius, altius, fortius! Faster, higher, louder! This is the “Olympic fanfare” imagined by Maxime Goulet for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The mountainous metaphor and the theme of surpassing oneself set the tone for an exceptional evening.
“It is in this state of mind that Montrealer Maxime Goulet composed the work, and it is in this state of mind that he wishes to immerse the listener. Short and energetic orchestral movement, the piece is characterized by fast and agitated textures (citius), various ascending melodic gestures (altius) and powerful chords played by the brass (fortius),” according to the official website of the composer.
Kodály, Galánta Dances (16 min)
The Galánta Dances were composed by the Hungarian Zoltán Kodály. For the 80th anniversary of the Budapest Philharmonic Society, the work was premiered in 1933 by the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra. Kodály was inspired by the Gypsy tunes played by a Roma orchestra in Galánta, his childhood village.
Brahms, Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90: III. Poco allegretto (6 min)
The theme of the 3rd movement of this 3rd symphony by Johannes Brahms is very well known, quoted in the songs “Baby Alone in Babylon” by Serge Gainsbourg, “Take My Love” popularized by Frank Sinatra, “Love of My Live” by Carlos Santana and “Lonely Melody” by Dorothy Ashby. It’s easy to guess what justifies the choice for such an event.
Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 in E minor, B. 178, “From the New World”: IV. Allegro con fuoco (12 min)
The Czech composer lived in the United States from 1892 to 1896, where he composed his 9th symphony, known as “From the New World,” an essential work in the post-Romantic – or pre-Modern – repertoire. Its last movement is a choice finale for the airport event. Didn’t astronaut Neil Armstrong choose it to accompany him on the Apollo 11 moon flight in 1969? So, are we ready for another liftoff?
* The prices for this airport concert are as follows:
First Class: $500 per vehicle – 50 cars allowed
Business Class: $250 per vehicle – 160 cars allowed
Economy Class: $150 per vehicle – 190 cars allowed
Buy your package : https://www.osm.ca/en/concerts/osm-classical-flight/
* This sponsored text is the subject of an advertising agreement with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.