COMEDY MEETS ORCHESTRA

Saturday 8 February 2020 / 7:30PM Jack Singer Concert Hall Specials

PROGRAMME

Rainer Hersch, conductor

Music from (or almost from): Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Symphony No. 5 Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor Concerto) Für Elise

Bizet Overture from Carmen

Boccherini

Mozart

Rossini Minuet from String Quintet in E Major, Op. 11, No. 5 Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525 Overture from William Tell

Strauss Neue Pizzicato Polka, Op. 449 Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a Verdi La Traviata Vivaldi Four Seasons Trad Old MacDonald Had A Farm ... plus TV themes, film music, and much more. Much, much more!

RAINER HERSCH

Conductor

Rainer Hersch is a conductor, pianist, comedian, and broadcaster who has performed in over 30 countries and worked with orchestras from the St. Petersburg Philharmonic to the Tasmanian Symphony. He first studied piano, a student of Norma Fisher, then conducting, at Blackheath Conservatory with Denise Ham — including master classes with George Hurst and János Fürst at the Royal Academy of Music. Hersch started his working life in concert agencies, managing some of the world’s great artists. At the same time, he developed a hobby — performing stand-up comedy on the London circuit. In time, he realized this was his true vocation and gave up his last straight musical job, Touring Manager of the London Festival Orchestra, to enter the world of professional comedy. Twenty-five years later, this unique training has kept him in constant demand — combining laughter with music. In addition to conducting, Hersch has built a reputation as a broadcaster and presenter in the United Kingdom for the BBC and Classic FM. He has also been consistently delighting new audiences with entertainment that is witty, interactive and fun. Born in England to a German father, he lives in London with his German wife, Connie.