Conductor Lu Shao-chia (呂紹嘉) leads the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO, 國家交響樂團) tomorrow in four variations and rhapsodies. Schonberg’s Variations for Orchestra, Op.31 is a systematic 12-tone composition for large ensemble, and Elgar’s Enigma is musical descriptions of men and women who played important roles in his life. NSO will also contrast two rhapsodies based on Paganini’s 24th Caprice for solo violin: Rachmaninoff’s classic rhapsody and a version by contemporary composer Lowell Liebermann, who brings dazzling orchestration and modern harmonics. Tomorrow’s featured soloist is Liu Meng-chieh (劉孟捷), a Greater Kaohsiung native who was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia at age 13. Liu is recipient of the 1992 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Philadelphia Musical Fund Society Career Advancement Award and joins the faculty of the New England Conservatory this fall.
■ Rhapsodies & Variations (謎與變奏) is 7:30pm tomorrow at the National Concert Hall (國家音樂廳) in Taipei City. Program includes a pre-concert lecture that starts in the lobby at 7pm
■ Tickets are NT$400 to NT$1,500, available through NTCH ticketing and online at www.artsticket.com.tw.
Photo Courtesy of NSO
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