Boulder Symphony is kicking off its 2017-18 season with its September 30th concert “Death of the Symphony”. Of course, the Symphony is alive and well, as it will be performing the challenging masterpiece Symphony No. 4 by Johannes Brahms. Classical music lives on in Boulder, and here are a few go-to places for the classical music lover in you:
Boulder Symphony’s 2017-18 season begins Saturday, September 30, 2017 and continues through Saturday, May 5, 2018
A few special performances to look forward to this season include:
- “Who Killed Classical Music?”- a kids Halloween Concert on October 28, 2017.
- “Shakespeare’s Potion” on the evening of November 18, 2017, and features such classics as Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet, and Elizabeth Anne Cominellis’ World Premiere.
- “Composing the End”, will feature performances of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique, Liszt Piano’s Concerto No. 1, and Jonathan Bingham’s World Premiere on February 17, 2018.
- Boulder Symphony’s “Annual Opera” event will be comprised of Guiseppe Veri’s La Traviata on March 24, 2018.
- Boulder Symphony’s final performance of the season on May 5, 2018 is entitled “The Sacrificial Youth”. Featured performances include Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” and Brahms’ Violin Concerto with Phoenix Avalon.
Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
Under the leadership of Michael Butterman, Music Director for Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra’s 2017-18 season is packed with world-renowned artists, Colorado’s own regional collaborations, and multiple works by major American composers commissioned by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. This season is particularly special because it marks the 60th anniversary of the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra. A few standout performances include:
- “Music of Resistance” on Saturday, October 14, 2017 at Macky Auditorium, with such masterpieces on display as Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, Britten’s Ballard of Heroes, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.
- The Nutcracker performed by Boulder Ballet and accompanied by the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra will also take place at Macky Auditorium. This holiday tradition will run through Thanksgiving weekend with three shows: Friday, November 24 at 2:00 p.m.; Saturday, November 25 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.; and a final performance on Sunday, November 26 at 2:00 p.m.
- “Bach Transfigured” is a new take on one of the master’s of composition and Bach’s use of the harpsichord. Enjoy a weekend of “Bach Transfigured” from January 13, 2018 – January 14, 2018 with such pieces as S. Bach’s fifth child and second son C.P.E Bach’s Symphony in C Major at 7:30 p.m. at Macky Auditorium on Saturday, January 13, followed by J.S. Bach’s Concerto in G Minor on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Pinnacle Performing Arts Complex.
Entering its fourteenth season, Boulder Chamber Orchestra has named this season “Fourteeners: Reaching new heights with our fourteenth season.” BCO notes that this season, “named after our beloved mountains” symbolizes a return to its roots by highlighting an assortment of the best compositions and composers of the classical period. Some concerts we recommend attending throughout the season include:
- Mozart Sinfonia Concertante, Mozart Symphony No. 29, and Elgar String Serenade, which will take place Friday and Saturday October 20 – 21, 2017. The Friday performance will be held at Broomfield Auditorium, while the Saturday concert will be held at the Boulder Adventist Church.
- Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Violin and Piano will be performed for two nights on November 10 at Broomfield Auditorium and November 11, 2017 at the Boulder Adventist Church.
- On March 30 – March 31, 2018, Mozart’s Requiem accompanied by the Boulder Chorale will make for an enchanting night or weekend should you decide once just wasn’t enough.
This is just an overview of the venues within Boulder with seasonal exhibitions of the classical music our community has to offer. If there’s a specific classical music scene, be it period accurate or avant-garde, Boulder has a venue and troupe of professional musicians to satiate your senses. Let us know what you’re looking most forward to this 2017-2018 concert season in the comments below.