American Classical Orchestra on Tuesday, April 5 at 8:00PM at the St. Ignatius of Antioch Church, 552 West End Ave. at 87th St, presents a program titled Classical Sensibility. The program includes Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus and Horn Concerto No. 4; Michael Haydn’s Requiem and Krommer’s Concerto for Two Clarinets. Conducted by Thomas Crawford, featuring soloists R.J. Kelley on Horn, Nina Stern and Edward Matthew on Clarinet, and the American Classical Orchestra Chorus.
R.J. Kelley, ACO Principal Horn, is among the world’s leading horn virtuosi and had recorded Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4 on the Naxos Label, accompanied by the American Classical Orchestra. The ACO will perform this revered concerto on a natural, valveless horn from Mozart’s era. Franz Krommer’s Concerto for Two Clarinets, featuring Nina Stern and Edward Matthew, is an audience favorite because of its effervescent clarinet writing. The ACO Chorus will be featured in the luxurious Ave Verum Corpus motet and Michael Haydn’s stirring Requiem. Haydn’s compact requiem features the solemn texture of the trombones and trumpets in their lower registers, as well as seamless melodic lines in the vocal parts.
The concert will be preceded by a Pre-Concert Lecture at 7:00PM by Maestro Thomas Crawford.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN CLASSICAL ORCHESTRA
The American Classical Orchestra is an orchestra dedicated to performing music from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. As a period instrument ensemble, ACO’s mission is to present the music as the composers might have heard it in their time using instruments and techniques from when the music was written. The American Classical Orchestra strives to present historically-informed performances that add to the cultural landscape of NYC.
Founded by Music Director Thomas Crawford in 1984 as The Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy in Fairfield Connecticut, the American Classical Orchestra has been based in New York City since 2005. Since moving to New York City, ACO has established itself as the leading period instrument ensemble in the City. The American Classical Orchestra’s annual concert series, held largely at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln Center, has garnered critical acclaim.
In 2001, the American Classical Orchestra was invited to perform at the Metropolitan Museum during an exhibition entitled Art and the Empire City: New York, 1825– 1861. The ACO presented two works premiered in New York during that time period. Additional highlights of ACO’s 30 years include appearing as part of the Lincoln Center Great Performers Series, a sold-out 25th Anniversary performance of the Beethoven 9th Symphony at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and a staged a performance of Handel’s opera Alceste as part of the American Classical Orchestra’s survey of Handel’s work during Handelfest in 2014.
The American Classical Orchestra has numerous recordings with renowned artists such as Malcolm Bilson and R.J. Kelley. Among the works recorded by the American Classical Orchestra are the complete wind concerti by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (featuring ACO’s principal players as soloists), Mozart’s Symphony No. 14, K.144 and Mozart’s three Piano Concerti, K.107, with fortepianist Malcolm Bilson. In 2010, the American Classical Orchestra released a recording of Baroque oboe concerti with oboist Marc Schachman on the Centaur label.
The American Classical Orchestra is dedicated to the appreciation and understanding of classical music through educational programs. Through its in-school programs, family concert series, and community outreach programs the orchestra has inspired hundreds of thousands of young students and musicians. The ACO’s educational mission is to spread historically-informed performance practices to new generations and instill a love for the music of the Baroque, Classical and early Romantic periods. For this work, the American Classical Orchestra was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts grant and Early Music America prize. An unusual feature of ACO concerts is that Music Director Thomas Crawford gives the pre-concert lecture, giving the audience first-hand insights into the performance.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets can be purchased on www.aconyc.org
PROGRAM
Mozart Ave Verum Corpus
Horn Concerto No. 4
Michael Haydn Requiem
Krommer Concerto for Two Clarinets
R. J. Kelley, horn
Nina Stern and Edward Matthew, Clarinet
American Classical Orchestra Chorus
WEBSITE
www.aconyc.org
PRESS CONTACT
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