Program Notes for 1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular

PROGRAM PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74: Pathétique III. Allegro molto vivace MODEST MUSSORGSKY Arr. Rimsky-Korsakov Night on Bald Mountain RAY USHIKUBO

PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY "Valse des fleurs" from Nutcracker, Op. 71a

Friday, September 1, 2017 | 7:30PM Saturday, September 2, 2017 | 7:30PM Sunday, September 3, 2017 | 7:30PM

1812 TCHAIKOVSKY SPECTACULAR

PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY "Pas de deux" from Nutcracker, Op. 71

INTERMISSION NIKOLAI RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34 Alborada Variazioni Alborada Scena e canto gitano Fandango asturiano SERGE PROKOFIEV Piano Concerto No. 1 in D-flat Major, Op. 10 Allegro brioso Andante assai Allegro scherzando Ray Ushikubo, piano

conductor Sameer Patel | See page 29 for bio. piano Ray Ushikubo brass band SDSU Marching Aztecs (Fri and Sun only)

PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY Overture 1812 (Ouverture solennelle), Op. 49 SDSU Marching Aztecs, Brass Band (Fri & Sun only)

This concert is made possible, in part, through the generosity of Dave and Phyllis Snyder.

Performance at Embarcadero Marina Park South

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P ER FO RM A NCES MAG A Z I N E

S AN DIEG O SYM P H O N Y O RC H ES T RA 2 0 1 7-1 8 S EA S O N AUG UST 20 1 7

1812 TCHAIKOVSKY SPECTACULAR – SEPTEMBER 1, 2 & 3 | PROGRAM NOTES

ABOUT THE ARTIST Exhibiting an innate musicality well beyond his years, 15-year-old Japanese-American pianist RAY USHIKUBO has already performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall and Merkin Concert Hall in New York City, and on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Since his solo orchestral debut at age ten with the Young Musicians Foundation Orchestra at Los Angeles’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Ray has appeared with worldrenowned pianist Lang Lang at Orange County’s Segerstrom Concert Hall, and with pianist and conductor Jeffrey Kahane and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at Royce Hall in Los Angeles. A recipient of the prestigious Davidson Fellow Laureate Award in 2014, Ray won the 2016 Piano Concerto Competition at the Aspen Music Festival and School.

other campus and community events. The Marching Aztecs enter the public arena as ambassadors of SDSU’s standards of excellence; the sights and sounds identifying an obvious focal point of Aztec pride and spirit. Members of the Marching Aztecs represent over 30 academic majors and hail from a wide variety of locales. n

During the 2016–17 season, Ray made his debut with the Pasadena Symphony and the Modesto Symphony Orchestra performing Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue with conductor David Lockington. He also performed the Grieg Piano Concerto with The Dream Orchestra at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica.

Additionally, Ray was featured as a Performance Today Young Artist in Residence, with national radio broadcasts airing in spring 2017.

Concert Sponsor Spotlight

PHYLLIS AND DAVID SNYDER

Ray has been featured several times on the nationally syndicated radio program From the Top, and was named one of their Jack Kent Cooke Young Artists. Ray has also been a featured speaker at TEDx Redmond. Since 2010 Ray has studied piano with Ory Shihor at the Colburn School’s Music Academy, a pre-college program designed to prepare extraordinary young artists for careers as well-rounded professional musicians. Ray’s other interests include math, wakeboarding, watching action movies and Mercedes Benz automobiles. n

The SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY MARCHING AZTECS is one of the premiere marching bands in the west. Renowned for its musicality, pageantry and commitment to excellence, this highly respected campus organization performs in Qualcomm Stadium at all SDSU home football games, as well as National Football League games, high school band tournaments and

S AN D I EG O SYM PHONY ORCHES TRA 2017-18 SE ASON AU GUST 2017

Dave Snyder has served on the Symphony Board since 2012 and is currently Chair-Elect. Dave and Phyllis co-chaired the Opus Gala in 2012.

P ERFO RM AN C ES M AG A Z I N E

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