The Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus unveiled the details of its 2016-2017 season.  Under the direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Peter Shannon, the divers eighth season features orchestral classics, annual crowd favorites, Broadway tunes, and exciting new works.    

The eighth season commences at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts with works by Gioachino Rossini, Richard Sortomme and Ludwig van Beethoven.   This exciting concert will include the world premiere of a new violin concerto by Sortomme performed by Elmar Oliveira, the only American violinist to win the Gold Medal at Moscow's Tchaikovsky International Competition. The performance will also include the Overture to La gazza Iadra (The Thieving Magpie) by Rossini, one of the most celebrated opera composers of all time, and closes with Beethoven’s exhilarating Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”.  

The season’s second event coincides with National Arts and Humanities Month and the onset of cooler weather, providing the perfect opportunity for an outdoor musical celebration. Thousands are expected to converge on Savannah’s historic Forsyth Park for the annual Picnic in the Park at 7 p.m. Sunday, October 2, 2016. This free community event will be sponsored by Parker’s and has been a local tradition for about 30 years.  The Savannah Philharmonic is proud to host the evening with a concert that will feature classical favorites, film music, overtures and special guests. 

Mozart is perhaps the most influential composer in all of musical history and the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus present his Requiem at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, October 14-15, 2016.  This powerful evening of music features two of the famed composer’s most compelling works – the fiery and passionate Symphony No. 40 in G minor and the dramatic Requiem, featuring local soloists Tina Zenker-Williams, Claire Watts, Stephen Dobson and Allen Henderson.  

The following month will usher in a celebration of French music. With opulent works by Hector Berlioz, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, the Saturday, November 19, 2016 performance at the Lucas Theatre will enrapture minds and ensnare imaginations. Internationally acclaimed pianist Alon Goldstein will join the Savannah Philharmonic’s own Quynh Shannon and the orchestra to perform Francis Poulenc’s witty and melodic Concerto for Two Pianos in D minor. Show time is 7:30 p.m.

Despite the absence of ice and snow, the holiday season is particularly delightful in Savannah. The abundance of familiar Christmas carols and holiday tunes planned for the Philharmonic’s Holiday Pops concert are guaranteed to put audiences in the holiday spirit. As part of the Saturday, December 17, 2016 show, attendees can expect traditional tunes, sing-along melodies and holiday classics.  There will be an evening performance, featuring American Traditions Competition’s 2016 Gold Medalist Michael Maliakel which begins at 7:30 p.m. A 3 p.m. Family Holiday Pops matinee will include the Savannah Children’s Choir as special guests. The talented young musicians’ enthusiasm lends the show an air of exuberance as they embody this special season of peace, love, and joy.

The Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus return at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, January 28, 2017 with The Best of Rodgers & Hammerstein at the Johnny Mercer Theater. This exuberant evening of song and showmanship, featuring special guests from the Savannah Theater, will highlight hits from Broadway classics including The Sound of Music, Carousel, Oklahoma and more.

On Saturday, March 4, 2017 the Philharmonic’s performance of Bedrich Smetana’s shimmering Moldau and Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations is sure to elicit feelings of mystery and awe. Philharmonic concertmaster Sinisa Ciric and principal violist LiZhou Liu will round out the evening with the playful and virtuosic Sinfonia concertante by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The concert is at 7:30 p.m. at the Lucas Theater for the Arts.

The Savannah Philharmonic Chorus will present “The American Spirit,” an evening of exclusively American music, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, April 20 & 21.  The performances will include everything from national treasures, with music by George and Ira Gershwin and Aaron Copland, to some of the finest Broadway, film and patriotic music ever written.

The Savannah Philharmonic’s eighth season culminates in a dazzling performance, pianist Fan-Ya Lin performing Sergei Rachmaninov’s monumental Third Piano Concerto. Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 will serve as the orchestral conclusion, illustrating the wonders of the natural world. The season finale concert is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 29, 2017 at the Johnny Mercer Theater.

Savannah Philharmonic Artistic Director and Conductor Peter Shannon comments

“The past season has produced more sold-out concerts than ever before so it's fair to say that the pressure was on to produce at that level again. But we love a challenge I think we have put together a great year of music for Savannah. Favorites will include Mozart's Requiem, a Rodgers and Hammerstein program and a concert featuring Bolero.  Opening Night with Beethoven's Eroica combined with the world premiere of a violin concerto will be a wonderful evening of music and I believe that will be a strong building block for the whole season. We are getting better all the time and this organization has a fantastic future. I'm just really excited to hear our audience's reaction as the season progresses. See you at the concerts!”

In addition to the 2016-17 orchestral and choral performances, the Savannah Philharmonic will present its renowned Chamber Concert Series.

Brilliant Brass, is set for 5 p.m. Sunday, September 18, 2016 at Lutheran Church of the Ascension. Members of the Savannah Philharmonic brass sections will showcase their musical fluidity and dexterity, impressing the audience with works by Oskar Böhme, Kevin Mckee and others. Featured musicians will include Michael Daly on horn, Clayton Chastain, Paul Poovey and Robin Beauchamp on trumpet, and Carl Polk and Hollie Lawing on trombone.

The Savannah Philharmonic’s principal woodwinds come together at 5 p.m. Sunday, October 30, 2016 to present an evening of colorful music. The concert, which will take place at Luther Church of the Ascension, will include selections by Samuel Barber, Carl Reinecke and Francis Poulenc. The Philharmonic’s winds are Jeana Melilli on flute, Andrew Ripley on oboe, Kristen Spiridon on clarinet, Sasha Gee Enegren on bassoon and Michael Daly on horn.

After a dazzling performance during the previous season, the exciting and dynamic cello quartet, Celli, will return with unique original arrangements at 5 p.m. Sunday, December 4, 2016 at Lutheran Church of the Ascension. The members of Celli – members of the Savannah Philharmonic’s cello section – bring a fresh and vibrant approach to classical music and performance technique. Erin Cassell, Mary Beth Bryant, Nan Kemberling and Jessica Kornhoff-Messere will perform Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 Cellos in G minor and The Four Seasons – L’inverno (winter) Largo, as well as Mannheim Steamroller’s Stille Nacht, and more. 

Savannah Philharmonic violinist Adrienne Caravan returns to the chamber series for an evening of piano quartet works, including Richard Strauss’s passionate Piano Quartet in C minor and Frank Bridge’s eerie and clever Phantasy for Piano Quartet. The performance, set for 5 p.m. Sunday, January 15, 2017 at Lutheran Church of the Ascension, will also feature Tania Maxwell Clements on viola, Lisa Caravan on cello and Linda Boianova on piano.

In an evening like no other, the Savannah Philharmonic is proud to present The Masters, which will see Concertmaster Sinisa Ciric and Chorusmaster Dr. Monica Harper join forces to perform dazzling works for violin and organ. The pair will perform at 5 p.m. Sunday, February 19, 2017 at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church with Ciric on violin and Harper on organ. Guests will be treated to enlightening renditions of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Tocatta, Adagio, and Fugue in C major, and Violin Sonata No. 3 in E major, Josef Rheinberger’s Suite for Violin and Organ, Jules Massenet’s Meditation, and Fritz Kreisler’s Preludium and Allegro.

The Savannah Philharmonic’s Chamber Concert Series concludes with an evening of show-stoppers. Concertmaster Sinisa Ciric, principal flautist Jeana Melilli and principal oboist Andrew Ripley will perform exciting show pieces, designed to stretch the boundaries of their instruments, along with clever transcriptions of opera scenes and melodies. The series’ electrifying conclusion is slated for 5 p.m. Saturday, April 8, 2017 at Lutheran Church of the Ascension. Selections will include Jules Demersseman’s Duo Brilliant for Flute and Oboe from Rossini’s William Tell, F. Borne’s Fantasy on Bizet’s Carmen, Melilli’s “Sempre libera” from Verdi’s La Traviata, and J.W. Kalliwoda’s Morceau de Salon.   

Fans have several options for ensuring they’re front and center for this season’s most exclusive shows. Ticket subscription packages offer first selection of seats at concerts and substantial discount opportunities.

For more information on purchasing tickets and subscription packages, please visit www.savannahphilharmonic.org, call 912-232-6002 or email [email protected].