“Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes, and I am Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine for mankind and makes them spiritually drunken.” Ludwig van Beethoven

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is excited to present a two-week Beethoven Festival led by new Artist in Association, British conductor Nicholas McGegan.

The Festival will feature a series of immersive events and concerts with internationally-renowned soloists which will explore Beethoven’s more classical works alongside pieces from his groundbreaking transformation to the Romantic style.

McGegan said, “As composers, performers and listeners, we all owe so much to the intoxicating music and spirit of Ludwig van Beethoven. He transformed music. Through his nine great symphonies, chamber music and the many sonatas, he reinvented our musical language placing human emotion, story-telling and drama at the heart of his art.”

The Festival will be McGegan’s first appearance in his new role with the ASO following his appointment in 2013. Current Music Director of San Francisco’s Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, he has been described by The Independent as “one of the finest Baroque conductors of his generation” and is increasingly recognised for his probing and revelatory explorations of music of all periods.

McGegan said “Playing Beethoven for me is about passion and excitement. His music is a thrilling ride through the whole gamut of human emotions.”

“The orchestra is terrific and I am sure that we’ll have a lot of fun playing Beethoven. I hope to bring a little of my experience working with period instruments to the performances,” added McGegan.

The Festival will feature one of the world’s leading concert pianists, British superstar Stephen Hough whose performances have been described by The Guardian as “the most perfect piano playing conceivable”. Hough will perform Beethoven’s mighty Emperor Concerto – one of the greatest of all concertos and voted No 1 on ABC Classic FM’s Classic 100 Concertos.

American pianist and renowned Harvard Professor of Music Robert Levin joins the ASO to perform Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto and ASO Concertmaster Natsuko Yoshimoto stars in Beethoven’s lyrical Romance in G.

As a prelude to the Festival the ASO will hold a fun free event Conduct Your Orchestra on Friday 15 August – inviting members of the public to step up and conduct the orchestra at the Adelaide Railway Station.

The Festival will also feature Beethoven’s Open Haus – a chance for community musicians to rehearse Beethoven’s Symphony No 5 alongside ASO musicians.

Events at the State Library of South Australia include a Chamber Music Concert, screenings of the film Beethoven’s Hair plus a Classical Conversation with Nicholas McGegan, Robert Levin and ABC Classic FM’s Simon Healy.

All this and more! View the program below. For more information visit http://bit.ly/BeetFest

MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Kate Sewell, Publicist, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
08 8233 6205/0431 228 859/sewellk@aso.com.au

ASO BEETHOVEN FEST PROGRAM

Conduct Your Orchestra

Friday 15 August, 11.30am–12.30pm
Adelaide Railway Station Concourse
FREE. No bookings required

Beethoven Festival 1
Friday 12 September, 8pm & Saturday 13 September, 6.30pm
Adelaide Town Hall
Tickets from $33.30. Bookings BASS www.bass.net.au / 131 246

Open Haus
Saturday 13 September, 10am–12.30pm
Adelaide Town Hall
Closed event for participants only. Application forms available www.aso.com.au/learning

Moonlight Dinner (post-concert)
Saturday 13 September, 8.30pm
Adelaide Town Hall
Cost $85. Bookings ASO wighte@aso.com.au / 8233 6233

Chamber Music Concert
Sunday 14 September, 2pm
Mortlock Wing, State Library of South Australia
Tickets $45. Bookings Friends of the ASO faso@aso.com.au / 8233 6211

Film – Beethoven’s Hair
Wednesday 17 September, 11am & 6pm, Thursday 18 September, 4pm
Hetzel Lecture Theatre, State Library of South Australia
FREE. Bookings essential www.slsa.sa.gov.au

Classical Conversation
Thursday 18 September, 6pm
Hetzel Lecture Theatre, State Library of South Australia
FREE. Bookings essential www.slsa.sa.gov.au

Schools Open Rehearsal
Friday 19 September, 9.30am-11.30am
Adelaide Town Hall
FREE. Bookings essential www.aso.com.au/learning

Beethoven Festival 2
Friday 19 September, 8pm & Saturday 20 September, 6.30pm
Adelaide Town Hall
Tickets from $33.30. Bookings BASS www.bass.net.au / 131 246

Post-concert coda
Saturday 20 September, 8.30pm
Adelaide Town Hall
FREE. No bookings required

For more information visit the ASO’s website http://bit.ly/BeetFest.