Sedona News – The Sedona Symphony (formerly Verde Valley Sinfonietta) presents its second concert of the 2024-2025 season under the direction of Artistic Director Janna Hymes. The concert features cellist Nicholas Canellakis, one of the most sought-after cellists of his generation, performing Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op.33 and Dvorak’s Silent Woods on Sunday, November 17 at 2:30 PM in the Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd. in Sedona. The Sedona Symphony will also feature Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Bizet’s Symphony No.1 in C Major, to round out the program.
Described by The New Yorker as a “superb young soloist” and praised by The New York Times for his impassioned playing, Canellakis has a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, and composer. An artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Canellakis regularly performs at Alice Tully Hall and on international tours, including London’s Wigmore Hall, The Louvre in Paris, the Seoul Arts Center in Korea, and the Shanghai and Taipei National Concert Halls. He is a regular guest at leading music festivals, including Santa Fe, Ravinia, Music@Menlo, Bard, Bridgehampton, La Jolla, Hong Kong, Moab, Chamberfest Cleveland, and Music in the Vineyards. As the Artistic Director of Chamber Music Sedona, Canellakis has made significant contributions to Northern Arizona through his dynamic programming and community outreach.
The program opens with Beethoven’s Egmont Overture.
For Beethoven, who lived during the struggles of the Napoleonic Wars, heroism was needed in order to oppose Napoleon’s arrogance and aggression. The life and heroism of the Count of Egmont of the Low Countries, was the inspiration for the overture. Beethoven admired Egmont’s sacrifice of his life for a just cause, and the powerful music glorifies his actions.
Composed in 1876, Tchaikovsky’s version of a cello concerto utilized his own newly-composed Rococo Theme on which he based a set of variations for cello and orchestra. He then authorized his cellist friend and colleague, Wilhelm Fitzenhagen, to make modifications to the score as he saw fit. What Tchaikovsky didn’t foresee was that his friend would go rogue. He changed the order of the variations and even left out parts entirely, to supposedly enhance the role of the cello. Fitzenhagen performed the work in 1879, and told Tchaikovsky, “I caused a sensation with your variations. The audience liked the piece so much that they called me back onto the stage three times…” Tchaikovsky didn’t realize the extent of his friend’s modifications until ten years later when the complete score was published. By then its popularity had been established, and Tchaikovsky was unsuccessful in his objections.
Silent Woods, Op. 68 was originally one of six pieces in Dvorak’s suite for piano duet, entitled From the Bohemian Woods, Op. 68. Using the same opus number, he arranged the cello and orchestra version in 1893. With gentle syncopation the cello portrays a meditative walk in the forest.
During the early years of Sedona Symphony, a visiting conductor programmed Charles Gounod’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major, composed in 1854. It was presented as a lost gem and a strong influence on the first symphony of Gounod’s young student, and famous composer, Georges Bizet. After several rehearsals of the lesser known Gounod symphony, an orchestra member asked, “Why don’t we just play the Bizet?” Music history has been kinder to Bizet than to Gounod; his version arguably turned out better than his teacher’s, despite the evidence that Bizet plagiarized him. Although Bizet did not allow the publication of his symphony during his lifetime, it was brought to light in 1933, and publicly performed in 1935.
The 2024-2025 Season is sponsored by Sedona residents Mary and Neil Pope. The November 17 concert is co-sponsored by Michael Lynch and Marion Maby. Season tickets and individual tickets are available for purchase. Individual ticket prices are $20 – $70 (half price for children) and are available on the Sedona Symphony website ssymph.org and at the door on the day of the concert.
About Sedona Symphony
Now in it’s 20th season, the Sedona Symphony remains committed to their mission of “enriching the quality of life of our Northern Arizona community through the power of live orchestral music that educates, entertains, and inspires.” Led by Artistic Director Janna Hymes since 2023, the Sedona Symphony offers a diverse range of concerts throughout the season, featuring both well-known classical masterpieces and pops performances.