2006-2007 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
FRIDAY, JANUARY 26 AT 8PM
Oberlin Conservatory Symphony Orchestra
Robert Spano, conductor
Pedja Muzijevic, piano
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, Carnegie Hall
HIGDON: blue cathedral
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K.503
BARTÓK: Concerto for Orchestra

FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4: FLORIDA TOUR
Robert Spano, conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
THEOFANIDIS: Rainbow Body
MOZART: Piano Concerto No.22 in E-flat Major, K.482
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Sheherazade (in Sarasota and Gainesville)
RACHMANINOV: Symphonic Dances (in Miami, W. Palm Beach, Sarasota and Orlando)
February, 26-Miami; February 27-West Palm Beach; February 28 and March 1-Sarasota;
March 3-Gainesville; March 4-Orlando.

MARCH 16-18: HOUSTON SYMPHONY
Robert Spano, conductor
Yuja Wang, piano
Houston Symphony
BERNSTEIN: Overture to Candide
PROKOFIEV: Piano Concerto No.2
GANDOLFI: Impressions from 'The Garden of Cosmic Speculation'
BERNSTEIN: Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

MARCH 29-31: ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Robert Spano, conductor
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Chorus and Soloists
BACH: The Passion According to St. John, BWV245

APRIL 27-29 - ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY
Robert Spano, conductor
Orli Shaham, piano
SAARIAHO: Orion
RACHMANINOV: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 1

MAY 24-26 - ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Robert Spano, conductor
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 6, "Pastorale"
GANDOLFI: Garden of Cosmic Speculation (ASO commission)

MAY 31 - JUNE 3 - ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Robert Spano, conductor
DANIELPOUR: Pastime (ASO Co-Commission) (Gregg Baker, bass)
GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue (Marcus Roberts Trio)
COPLAND: Symphony No. 3

JULY 10-12: BARBICAN
Robert Spano, conductor
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
SAARIAHO: La Passion de Simone (UK Premiere)

AUGUST 10: BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY - EDINBURGH OPENING
Robert Spano, conductor
BBC Scottish Symphony
BERNSTEIN: Candide

AUGUST 18, 19: LINCOLN CENTER
Robert Spano, conductor
Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra
Avery Fisher Hall
GOLIJOV: La Pasión según San Marco

Robert Spano is one of the most imaginative conductors of his generation. Now in his sixth season as Music Director of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, he has enriched and expanded its repertoire through innovative programming and elevated the ensemble to new levels of prominence. In addition to his work with the ASO Mr. Spano is in high demand as a guest conductor on both symphonic and operatic stages. In 2007, Maestro Spano will appear in Boston, Houston, Miami, New York, St. Louis and overseas in London, England and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Particular points of interest for Mr. Spano are encapsulated on the next page as follows:

RECORDINGS

o Three current Grammy Awards for Mr. Spano's recordings including Best Contemporary Composition and Best Opera Recording categories
o Spring 2007 Telarc release of Vaughan Williams including: Symphony No.5, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Serenade to Music
o 2007 Deutsche Grammophon release of Golijov: Oceana, Three Songs, and Tenebrae
o Gandolfi's Garden of Cosmic Speculation
o 2008 Telarc releases include the Brahms German Requiem and "Fallen Heroes," containing Adams's On the Transmigration of Souls, Higdon's Dooryard Bloom, and works by Beethoven and Barber

PROGRAMMING

o Spring 2007- world premiere of Michael Gandolfi's expanded version of Impressions from The Garden of Cosmic Speculation
o Spring 2007- Atlanta premiere of Richard Danielpour's Pastime, co-commissioned by Atlanta Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and August Wilson Center for African American Culture.
o Summer 2007 - conducts UK premiere of Saariaho's La Passion de Simone
o Summer 2007 - conducts Candide to open Edinburgh Festival
o Dec.-Jan. 07/08 - conducts John Adams's Doctor Atomic, Lyric Opera of Chicago

"THE ATLANTA SCHOOL"
o A group of composers championed by Robert Spano as a response to growing skepticism of contemporary music among audiences
o Member Composers:
o Michael Gandolfi
o Osvaldo Golijov
o Jennifer Higdon
o Christopher Theofanidis
o Since the inception of the "Atlanta School," which is a fluid list that will expand over time, the ASO has seen an increase in attendance and won ASCAP's 2006 award for "Most Adventuresome Programming."