2022-2023 SEASON OVERVIEW

22SEASON OVERVIEW The best part of my job is the obvious part – getting to conduct an orchestra. This is especially true when it’s an amazing group of musicians like our Memphis Symphony Orchestra!

|A very close second-best part of the job is programming our concerts. I don’t do this part alone; a large number of people 23 get involved in the process, making sure we keep tweaking each draft until we feel confi dent we’ve created a season of programs with great variety, excitement, and artistic/ entertainment excellence. So, I thought I’d walk you through a bit of how this process works, and by so doing, give insight into our MSO 2022/2023 concert season: The whole process takes well over a year to complete. For me it starts with ideas jotted down on scraps of paper, or on backs of envelopes/napkins, and - these days - on the “notes” app on my phone. I randomly think of a work that hasn’t crossed my mind in some years, or a conversation at dinner brings a work to mind, or someone tells me about on fi rst drafts! In the months that follow, we work on two tracks at once: actual program ideas, and what dates and venues work in our an exciting new solo artist that I should learn more about. Soon after this, we hold a “brainstorming” session with the MSO players. They’ll call out names of works they’ve been wanting to play for quite some time, or of exciting new guest artists they played with at a summer festival, etc. By about six months before we publicly announce the season, I distribute “Draft #1” to the artistic and administrative staff . I always feel very excited about that initial draft. Folks in the business have often said of my fi rst drafts: “Moody creates an incredible fi rst draft of a season. Incredible, that is, if you want four cello concertos, four major choral works, and two Mahler symphonies!” . . . I will admit that I MAY lean a bit heavy to my personal preferences overall schedule. We look to provide variety (ok, we can’t do 4 cello concertos; but how ‘bout 1 each for cello, and violin?) We make sure styles of music are well represented. Do we have strong off erings from Classical, Romantic, Modern eras - even movie and pop music on the docket? We work with artist managements and venues like the Cannon Center to make sure available dates line up well. I then become laser focused on thinking about the “journey” of each concert. When we all gather for a concert - performers and audience - that group of people will have never been assembled in that exact permutation. And they will never be assembled in that permutation again. That concept blows me away; it makes me realize the precious and unique shared experience we’ll have together. From the moment of tuning through the last chord, we should feel we’ve gone on a journey – an adventure – together. Sometimes the journey is pure joy and celebration, sometimes the journey of music takes us through diffi cult, soul wrenching moments. But there has been an arc to the experience, and we rode the ride together. When this happens, and when you sense it in the expression of everyone around you, THIS is when I know we’ve done our job.

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

RENÉE FLEMING

First Ever Performance in Memphis!

MARCUS ROBERTS TRIO

Electrifying Jazz Ensemble

This is how we arrived at the great musical journeys we’ll take together next season!

Starting with one of the biggest concerts in MSO history, we welcome superstar and multiple Grammy winner Renée Fleming for her fi rst ever performance in Memphis!

Two of the world’s greatest pianists will bookend our season: Marcus Roberts from the world of jazz, and Haochen Zhang, who has been wowing the world’s top orchestras for a decade now.

We will off er our long awaited fi rst concert in the glorious new Scheidt Family Concert Hall, on the campus of the University of Memphis. We will inaugurate the new hall with the “Titan” Mahler Symphony No. 1.

Memphis Symphony Chorus will be featured in one of the greatest choral works ever written, Brahms Requiem, as well as our week of sell-out performances of Handel’s Messiah in December.

As part of the MSO’s commitment to championing voices traditionally underrepresented in classical music, we ensure that we program a woman, black, or Hispanic composer or soloist on every concert. An exciting exploration of fantastic compositions by Black composers, including music of Quinn Mason, William Grant Still, Scott Joplin, Kathryn Bostic, Florence Price, and many more!

There will also be some built in surprises on concerts. Maybe a cool piece here and there, which we aren’t publicizing ahead of time! Also, great “out of the box” ideas – like music from “E.T.” to kick off a masterworks concert.

I believe every concert we off er will take you on a journey of wonder, power, and inspiration. Come check them out; we can’t wait to take these journeys with you!

From the moment of tuning through the last chord, we should feel we’ve gone on a journey – an adventure – together.

HAOCHEN ZHANG

Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medalist LongAwaited Inaugural Concert