Maestro Muspratt celebrates 20 years with New Philharmonic with ‘Ravel & Mahler’
“To write a symphony is, for me, to construct a world,” said Gustav Mahler. For a conductor, to conduct an orchestra for decades means also to construct a world. The orchestra and music become his world. This world consists of endless preparations for concerts, lots of hours of studying the music and feeling it, numerous rehearsals with musicians who become your family, and tons of mistakes, repetitions, and, eventually, amazing concerts and events that were the goal of constructing this world to begin with.
For Maestro Kirk Muspratt, the “Ravel & Mahler” performances will mark his 20th year as conductor and music director of the award-winning New Philharmonic.
Under his baton, the new Philharmonic will open its 2024-25 season with “Ravel & Mahler” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6, at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd. in Glen Ellyn.
In the first half of the program, award-winning Canadian pianist Winston Choi joins Maestro Muspratt and New Philharmonic for Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major. It will be his fourth appearance with the New Philharmonic and Maestro Muspratt.
Mahler’s Symphony No 1 in D Major will be performed in the second half of the program. A free MAC chat will precede both performances beginning one hour prior to performance. WDCB 90.9FM “Chicago’s Home for Jazz” is the media sponsor for these performances.
The contract between Maestro Muspratt and the New Philharmonic was recently extended through the 2025-26 season.
“It’s been an honor and a thrill to be able to conduct the world class musicians of New Philharmonic and share the joys of classical music with MAC audiences over two decades,” Muspratt said. “I can’t wait to see what exciting things lie in store for all of us as we continue down this classical music road together.”
In July 2004, Muspratt was named both music director of the New Philharmonic and artistic director/music director of New Philharmonic Opera. In 2018, Maestro Muspratt was named 2018 Conductor of the Year (Professional Orchestra) by the Illinois Council of Orchestras.
In April 2019, Choi performed with the New Philharmonic under the baton of Maestro Muspratt for the third time, performing Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 in E Minor.
Now, almost six years later, the orchestra, the pianist, and the conductor will be reuniting to demonstrate the beauty of another wonderful piece, Maurice Ravel’s (1875-1937) Piano Concerto in G Major.
The MAC’s piano cam will give the audience the opportunity to get an up-close view of Choi’s hands as he performs. His technique, extreme musicality, and professional presentation will impress everyone in the audience.
Choi is associate professor of piano and the head of the piano program at Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. His professional career was launched when he was named laureate of the 2003 Honens Piano Competition and winner of France’s Concours International de Piano 20e siècle d’Orléans in 2002. He is one of today’s most dynamic young concert artists who is known internationally for his fresh approach to standard repertory and masterful understanding and performance of works by living composers. Choi also successfully writes his own music.
Another great composition that will be performed by the New Philharmonic will be Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No 1. As the news release says, “Muspratt wanted to begin his 20th anniversary season with a big powerful piece and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 fits the bill perfectly.”
Mahler’s (1860-1911) Symphony No 1 in D Major is sometimes referred to as “Titan: a symphonic poem in the form of a symphony” or “Symphony Number One in Four Movements for Large Orchestra.” It was composed between late 1887 and March 1888. Mahler revised and reworked his first symphony over a span of 15 years. Yet, the symphony never received the praise the composer thought it deserved. However, now he would be pleased to find out that Symphony No 1 is considered to be one of the most impressive and bold first symphonies ever written.
The composer incorporates auxiliary instruments not previously used by symphony composers. The composition also includes layering of instruments — multiple timpani, piccolos and horns, Bb, A, Eb clarinets, and bass and bassoons with regular and contra resulting in rich sonic color and sound.
To perform the work, the New Philharmonic will be expanding the size of its orchestra sections by nearly 15% for this concert program to accommodate the demands of this monumental work.
Tickets are $57. For tickets, visit atthemac.org/events/ravel-mahler/ or call (630) 942-4000. The McAninch box office is open Tuesday to Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and two hours prior to performance.