Join the Akron Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Christopher Wilkins as they welcome guest conductor Benjamin Zander to the podium for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on January 21 at 8:00 p.m.
Zander, the conductor of The Boston Philharmonic, will lead the symphony in a performance that fans of one of Beethoven’s most-popular works have rarely heard.
“Performances of the piece have been dominated for the past hundred years or more by interpretations by great conductors of the Romantic repertoire, who have chosen to disregard the metronome marks Beethoven left for the work,” Zander explains. “In order to achieve effects of grandeur and significance, they dramatically altered the speed of the music, establishing a tradition of performance that is far removed from what Beethoven seems to have intended.”
The evening will also feature a performance from pianist HaeSun Paik on Piano Concerto No. 3; and during Symphony No. 9 the Akron Symphony Chorus and Summit Choral Society, along with soloists Elizabeth Baldwin (soprano), Marianne Cornetti (mezzo-soprano), Alex Richardson (tenor) and Alfred Walker (bass-baritone).
The Akron Symphony Chorus and Summit Choral Society is under the direction of Marie Bucoy-Calavan.
A Preview from the Podium, featuring Maestro Zander discussing how Beethoven intended his music to be performed, will be at 7 p.m.
Single tickets for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 are $20 to $55. Visit akronsymphony.org or call 330.535.8131 for tickets and more information. Tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the concert as long as seats are available.