They require massive forces, and for this performance, we will have larger than usual wind, brass, and percussion sections, as well as augmented string counts. The main work on the program is Gustav Mahler’s first Symphony, which is nicknamed “Titan.” Mahler once said, “a symphony must be like the world and must contain everything,” and this is certainly true for his symphonies. I cannot wait to reconnect with Gil and for our community to hear this incredible violin star. My chamber group learned so much from him that summer. Not only is he an amazing violinist, but he is also such a kind person. I was fortunate enough to have Gil Shaham as my chamber music coach when I was a student at the Aspen Music Festival. The harmonies and the writing are so lush and warm – it is truly a masterpiece and an audience pleaser. His violin concerto is absolutely sublime and contains quotations from several of his own Hollywood film soundtracks, including Another Dawn. This move ultimately saved his life as Korngold was Jewish and escaped early into the rise of the Nazi regime.
In the mid-1930’s, Korngold had the opportunity to leave his home in Austria and settle in Hollywood to write music for films. He is one of the top violinists in the world, performing regularly with leading orchestras like Berlin, New York, Boston, Chicago, Israel, and the list goes on. We are so honored that Gil agreed to perform with our orchestra playing Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto. I know that our musicians and community will love his music making and energy.Ī true highlight of this entire season for me is welcoming violinist Gil Shaham to Charleston. He has conducted major orchestras worldwide and is in high demand right now. I actually collaborated with Maestro Gomez in Spain as a guest soloist for a concert back in 2017 and I really enjoyed working with him. He is originally from Venezuela and is currently serving as music director of the Tucson Symphony. Maestro Gomez is a renowned conductor and first prize winner of the prestigious Solti Competition. Within an hour of calling different agents, we identified a wonderful maestro who was available and very eager to come to Charleston: José Luis Gomez. I want to bring a conductor that is inspiring for both our musicians and our community.
Finding a guest conductor, especially on such short notice, is a difficult task because I don’t want to bring just any conductor. As soon as we heard about the cancellation, Charleston Symphony’s General Manager Kyle Lane and I quickly sat down and started thinking about who we could bring as a replacement. We have a fantastic weekend coming up with the season closer of our Masterworks series, which I have been looking forward to for over a year! As many of you know, our guest conductor this week cancelled due to health reasons. This is certainly my favorite time of the year. I hope that this message finds you well and you are enjoying our beautiful Charleston spring.
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