Concertmaster Jonathan Carney Leads Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto, May 7-9

Concert also features artists from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, including faculty member and cellist Amit Peled, and Peabody Director and pianist Jeffrey Sharkey

Baltimore, Md. (April 23, 2010) – Concertmaster Jonathan Carney will lead and perform with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto on Friday, May 7 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 9 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. A shortened program will be performed on Saturday, May 8 at 11 a.m. as part of the Casual Concert Series. Also on the program is Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony No. 8. The concerts on Friday and Sunday also include Richard Strauss’ Duett-Concertino. Please see below for complete concert details.

Beethoven was always fascinated by the chamber ensemble of the piano trio: piano, violin and cello. In his Triple Concerto, Beethoven masterfully showcases not one, but three soloists within the context of a concerto for orchestra. Beethoven reduces the orchestral part considerably in order for each soloist to receive equal time. As further testament to his skill, he ensures that the darker-timbered cello is not covered by the more brilliant tones of the violin and piano by setting that instrument’s part at the top of its register. The BSO welcomes cellist Amit Peled, a faculty member at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, and pianist and Peabody Institute Director Jeffrey Sharkey, who join BSO Concertmaster Jonathan Carney as soloists.

Many classical music enthusiasts incorrectly assume that it was Schubert’s untimely death at age 31 that prevented him from completing his Symphony No. 8. Rather, Schubert composed the first two movements and a sketch of the third movement at the age of 25. The work’s radically new sound was so innovative at the time that he likely abandoned the work, being unsure of how to develop its revolutionary new thematic ideas.

Duett-Concertino was Richard Strauss’ last exclusively instrumental work and typifies his later style of a smaller orchestra performing in the highly refined style of the 18th century. Strauss intended for the work to suggest a “Beauty and the Beast” scenario of a beautiful princess (the clarinet) who is frightened by a bear (the bassoon). The bear eventually wins the princess over and upon dancing with her, the previously grotesque bear turns into a handsome prince. The work features BSO musicians in the solo roles: clarinetist Steven Barta and bassoonist Phillip Kolker, both of whom also serve on the faculty of the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University.

Jonathan Carney, leader and violin
BSO Concertmaster Jonathan Carney is currently in his eighth season with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra after serving 12 seasons in the same position with London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He was also appointed concertmaster of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 1994 and the Basque National Orchestra in 1996.

Born in New Jersey, Mr. Carney hails from a musical family with all six members having graduated from The Juilliard School. After completing his studies with Ivan Galamian and Christine Dethier, he was awarded a Leverhulme Fellowship to continue his studies in London at the Royal College of Music.

Recent solo performances have included concertos by Bruch, Korngold, Khatchaturian, Sibelius, Nielsen, Brahms’ Double Concerto and Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, which was featured as a live BBC broadcast from London's Barbican Hall. He has made a number of recordings, including concertos by Mozart, Vivaldi and Nielsen, sonatas by Brahms, Beethoven and Franck, and a disc of virtuoso works by Sarasate and Kreisler with his mother Gloria Carney as pianist. New releases include Beethoven’s “Archduke” and “Ghost” trios, the cello quintet of Schubert and a Dvorak disc with the Terzetto and four Romantic pieces for violin.

He currently serves as artistic advisor for the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestras. He is also an artist-in-residence at the Baltimore School for the Arts and serves on its board of directors.

Steven Barta, clarinet
Steven Barta has been principal clarinet of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra since 1976. He holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music where he studied with Robert Marcellus. He also studied with Harold Wright at the Marlboro Music Festival, with additional studies at Boston University, Tanglewood and the Blossom Festival School.

Equally versatile in chamber music, he has performed with the Festival Chamber Players, Music from Gretna, in the “Music by Candlelight” series and at the Peabody Institute.  He has also been a member of the Baltimore Wind Quintet, composed of principals from the BSO.

On the faculty of the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University since 1984, Mr. Barta has also taught at the Catholic University in Washington D.C. He has given master classes at Yale University, Northwestern University, Colorado College, the University of Delaware and the University of Memphis. In 1998 he was appointed to the faculty of the Asian Youth Orchestra in Hong Kong. 

Phillip Kolker, bassoon
Phillip Kolker, principal bassoon of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra since 1972, has appeared as soloist with the Orchestra, as well as with the Minnesota Orchestra, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra and with orchestras in Spain and Taiwan. He is a member of the artist faculty of the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, where he serves as chair of the Department of Orchestral Instruments and Organ. He has also been a visiting professor at the Eastman School of Music, and has presented master classes at the Curtis Institute, Eastman, the National Orchestral Institute, the Glickman-Popkin Bassoon Camp, the Interlochen National Music Camp and in Korea and Taiwan. He has been a featured recitalist at several International Double Reed Conventions (IDRS) and has served on the executive committee of the IDRS. Mr. Kolker made his first appearance as a professional bassoon player with the Albany Symphony Orchestra when he was 14 years old.

Amit Peled, cello
Amit Peled has performed as soloist with orchestra and in the world’s major concert halls including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall (New York), Salle Gaveau (Paris), Wigmore Hall (London), Konzerthaus (Berlin) and Mann Auditorium (Tel Aviv). He frequently performs and gives master classes at prestigious summer music festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival, Newport Music Festival, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, Heifetz International Music Institute, Schleswig Holstein Festival and Euro Arts Festival in Germany, Gotland Festival in Sweden, Prussia Cove Festival in England, The Violoncello Congress in Spain and the Kfar Blum Music Festival in Israel. Mr. Peled is a professor at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University.

In 2009-2010, he will make his debut with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Columbus Symphony, return to Taiwan for Brahms’ Double Concerto with the National Symphony, and perform with the Jerusalem Symphony and Maestro Botstein in Israel.

Jeffrey Sharkey, piano
Jeffrey Sharkey is director of the Peabody Institute and serves on its chamber music faculty. He graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, earned a master’s degree in composition from Yale University and a master’s degree in philosophy from Cambridge University. He studied piano with John Browning, Constance Keene, Boris Berman, Leon Bates and Peter Frankl and composition with Aaron Copland, John Corigliano, Jacob Druckman and Michael Friedman. His compositions have been performed by the St Louis Symphony, at the Purcell Room and on WQXR Radio in New York.

He has been a faculty member at the Aberystwyth and Dartington music festivals in the U.K. and the Heifetz Institute and Adirondack Music Festivals in the U.S. His chamber music students have formed professional touring ensembles and given performances at major venues in the U.K. and U.S. He was formerly dean of the Cleveland Institute of Music, director of music at The Purcell School and head of composition and academic music at Wells Cathedral School.

COMPLETE CONCERT DETAILS
Classical Concert: Beethoven Triple Concerto
Friday, May 7, 2010 at 8:00 p.m.—Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
Sunday, May 9, 2010 at 3:00 p.m.—Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall 

Jonathan Carney, leader and violin
Steven Barta, clarinet
Phillip Kolker, bassoon
Amit Peled, cello
Jeffrey Sharkey, piano 

Schubert: Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”
R. Strauss: Duett-Concertino
Beethoven: Triple Concerto

Tickets for these performances range from $26 to $60 and are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 877.BSO.1444, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.

Casual Concert: Beethoven Triple Concerto
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 11:00 a.m.—Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

Jonathan Carney, leader and violin
Amit Peled, cello
Jeffrey Sharkey, piano

Schubert: Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished”
Beethoven: Triple Concerto

Tickets for these performances range from $26 to $60 and are available through the BSO Ticket Office, 877.BSO.1444, 410.783.8000 or BSOmusic.org.