The Gateway Chamber Orchestra (GCO) presents its third America’s Haydn Festival, a virtual concert series celebrating the music of the “Father of the Symphony” and the “Father of the String Quartet” composer Franz Joseph Haydn, on May 13 and 16 and May 20 and 23.
America’s Haydn Festival, sponsored by Google, features concerts by GCO, recognized for nuanced performances of Haydn; the Grammy-nominated St. Lawrence String Quartet, considered North America’s most expressive interpreters of Haydn; exuberant pianist Henry Kramer; celebrated children’s author and musicologist Anna Harwell Celenza; and emerging cellist Yuri Samis.
Hosted by Peabody Award-winning classical radio host, Bill McGlaughlin, the festival intends to raise the awareness and relevance of Papa Haydn’s music for audiences today.
GCO Music Director and Conductor Gregory Wolynec says, “We wanted to create a series of programs based on Haydn, but not exclusively, that would also feature works by underrepresented composers and performed by distinctive artists. Haydn’s music reveals something new every time, from a sense of wit and lightheartedness, to deep intensity. We want audiences to understand how exciting and invigorating Haydn’s music can be as well as its relevance today.”
In addition to landmark works by Haydn, the festival also features works by Osvaldo Golijov, William Grant Still, Maurice Ravel, and recent Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw.
America’s Haydn Festival will be streamed on the GCO website. Tickets are $20 for a weekend pass or $30 for a festival pass with full access to the performances. Purchase tickets directly at gatewaychamberorchestra.com/haydnfest.
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The Gateway Chamber Orchestra (GCO) is a nationally-recognized American cultural institution committed to enriching lives through innovative concerts, distinctive recordings, and inspiring educational programs. Conducted by Gregory Wolynec, the GCO is delighted to have a home at the George & Sharon Mabry Concert Hall on the campus of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee. The ensemble debuted in the fall of 2008, and has grown into a classically modeled chamber orchestra comprised of leading symphony players, recording musicians, and university faculty from Middle Tennessee and beyond who delight in bringing their shared passion for the world’s greatest music to the community. Visit www.gatewaychamberorchestra.com.