WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (May 23, 2022) – The Winston-Salem Symphony announced the six finalists for its conductor search as well as its 2022–23 season on Saturday, May 21. As part of the upcoming season, the finalists for the Symphony’s Music Director position will each conduct a pair of Classics Series concerts, which will give the Symphony musicians, staff, board, and the community a chance to see the candidates in action.
“We are extremely excited to introduce the finalists for our Music Director audition season to the community,” said E. Merritt Vale, Winston-Salem Symphony President & CEO. “These conductors make up the most talented and qualified group we have had out of any past music director searches I have been a part of. Now we look forward to inviting the entire community to get involved as the Symphony makes the important decision about selecting your next Music Director. We have a very exciting season in store, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone!”
The announcement of the Symphony’s next Music Director is slated for June 2023. The Winston-Salem Symphony formed a Music Director Search Committee in January 2022, and, through an ambitious “by invitation” search process, was able to cut a traditional search timeline in half. This search is to replace former Music Director, Timothy Redmond, who resigned in August 2021.
Each candidate will conduct two classics concerts (Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon), which will each feature a guest artist. Throughout the 2022–2023 season, the community will have numerous opportunities to interact with the finalists and will play a key role in helping the Symphony decide who ultimately assumes the baton to lead the Winston-Salem Symphony into the future.
CLASSICS SERIES
Classics Location: Stevens Center of the UNC School of the Arts, 405 W. Fourth Street in downtown Winston-Salem.
MENDELSSOHN’S MUSE
September 17, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
September 18, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Andrew Grams, conductor
Simone Porter, violin
Sergei Rachmaninoff – Symphony No. 3, 1st movement
Felix Mendelssohn – Violin Concerto
Modest Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Ravel)
Andrew Grams became music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra after an international search in 2013 and recently concluded his tenure there after eight seasons. His charismatic conducting and easy accessibility have made him a favorite of Elgin Symphony audiences. With a unique combination of intensity, enthusiasm, and technical clarity, Grams has steadily built a reputation for his dynamic concerts, ability to connect with audiences, and long-term orchestra building. Grams received a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from The Juilliard School and a conducting degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. For a full biography, visit andrewgrams.com/bio/.
STILL POINTS AND TURNING WORLDS
October 8, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
October 9, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Paul Haas, conductor
Awadagin Pratt, piano
Ludwig van Beethoven – Coriolan Overture
Jessie Montgomery – Rounds, for piano and strings
Sergei Prokofiev – Symphony No. 5
Conductor and composer Paul Haas has served as Music Director of the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas since 2010 and of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra since 2017. Following his innovative 2006 concert project called REWIND, Haas went on to found Sympho, an organization devoted to the creation and performance of symphonic experiences in unusual venues. As a composer, Haas has received 15 commissions from a wide variety of iconic venues over the last decade. For a full biography, visit paulhaas.com/#bio.
CONCERTO (R)EVOLUTION
November 12, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
November 13, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Vladimir Kulenovic, conductor
Julian Schwarz, cello
Florence Price – Concert Overture #2
Joseph Haydn – Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major
Béla Bartók – Concerto for Orchestra
Vladimir Kulenovic has served as Music Director of the Lake Forest Symphony on Chicago’s North Shore and served as Associate Conductor of the Utah Symphony/Utah Opera. Under his leadership, the Lake Forest Symphony has achieved unprecedented growth in its 60-year history, reflected in increased artistic excellence, critical acclaim, season offerings, audience base, and was recognized as Orchestra of the Year by the Illinois Arts Council. He also has been Resident Conductor of the Belgrade Philharmonic and Principal Conductor of the Kyoto International Music Festival in Japan. Kulenovic studied at The Juilliard School, Peabody Institute, and Boston Conservatory. For a full biography, please visit vladimirkulenovic.com/vladimirkulenovicbio.
INNOVATORS AND LEGENDS
January 7, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
January 8, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
Stilian Kirov, conductor
Terrence Wilson, piano
Ruth Crawford Seeger – Andante for Strings
Ludwig van Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 1
Sergei Rachmaninoff – Symphony No. 2
Stilian Kirov is currently Music Director of the Illinois Philharmonic in Chicago’s Southland and the Bakersfield Symphony in California. Kirov has proved to be not only a dynamic artistic director, but also an enthusiastic educator and community leader, continuing to build on his previous successes as Associate Conductor of the Seattle Symphony and Associate Conductor of the Memphis Symphony. Also a gifted pianist, he was Gold Medalist of the 2001 Claude Kahn International Piano Competition in Paris. For a full biography, visit stiliankirov.com/biography.
MUSIC FROM THE HOMELANDS
March 4, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
March 5, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
Vinay Parameswaran, conductor
Lara St. John, violin
Jean Sibelius – Finlandia
Antonín Dvořák – Violin Concerto
Witold Lutoslawski – Concerto for Orchestra
Vinay Parameswaran joined The Cleveland Orchestra as Assistant Conductor beginning in the 2017–18 season and was promoted to Associate Conductor in 2021. In this role, he leads The Cleveland Orchestra in several dozen concerts each season at Severance Hall, Blossom Music Festival, and on tour. He also serves as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra. Recognized for his energetic presence, imaginative programming, and compelling musicianship, Parameswaran came to Cleveland following three seasons as Associate Conductor of the Nashville Symphony, where he led over 150 performances. For a full biography, visit vinayparameswaran.com/about.
OF FEASTS AND GODS
May 20, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
May 21, 2023 at 3:00 p.m.
Michelle Merrill, conductor
Winston-Salem Symphony Chorus
Gustav Holst – The Planets
William Walton – Belshazzar’s Feast
Michelle Merrill has been inspiring audiences throughout the country with her sharply detailed and vibrant performances. A passionate and dynamic artist, she served four years as the Assistant and then Associate Conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, where she also carried the title of Phillip and Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador. In addition to her growing guest conducting schedule, Merrill currently serves as the Music Director of the Coastal Symphony of Georgia, where she has ignited the growth and expansion of the orchestra’s offerings both on and off the stage. For a full biography, visit michelle-merrill.com/biography.
MUSIC THAT POPS SERIES
Music That Pops Location: Reynolds Auditorium, 301 N. Hawthorne Road in Winston-Salem.
A CAROLINA CHRISTMAS WITH CIRQUE!
November 26, 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
November 27, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Karen Ní Bhroin, Conductor
Cirque de la Symphonie, Guest Artists
The Triad’s annual tradition continues with the return of Cirque de la Symphonie. Experience high-flying holiday delights as Cirque’s aerial acrobats perform stunning death-defying routines above the Symphony. Cirque will delight audiences young and old with brand new and expanded aerial acts this year, leaving your spirits soaring for the start of the holiday season.
IN THE AIR TONIGHT: SYMPHONIC GENESIS AND PHIL COLLINS
February 4, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
Stuart Chafetz, conductor
Phil Collins’ one-of-a-kind drum work and songwriting have left an enduring mark on music. With the megaband Genesis, and his numerous solo hits Phil Collins—along with bandmates Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford—penned unforgettable hits featured in this symphonic tribute featuring two vocalists. Show highlights include “Follow You Follow Me,” “Abacab,” “I Missed Again,” “Turn It OnAgain,” “Sussudio,” “One More Night,” “Take Me Home,” “Two Hearts,” and the iconic “In the Air Tonight.”
R.E.M. EXPLORED WITH MIKE MILLS AND ROBERT MCDUFFIE
April 15, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
R.E.M. founding member Mike Mills joins the Winston-Salem Symphony for a symphonic evening exploring the music of the world’s most beloved indie-turned-mega-rock band R.E.M. The concert features some of the band’s most popular hits including those sung and written by Mills. Additionally, the concert features the Concerto for Rock Band, Violin and String Orchestra which Mills composed for violinist and longtime friend Robert McDuffie.
THE MUSIC OF STAR WARS
May 8, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
Pick up your lightsaber and join the Symphony on a journey to that galaxy far, far away for an evening of music by legendary composer John Williams. The concert will feature music from all three Star Wars trilogies, allowing you to experience the full Skywalker Saga including the adventures of Anakin, Luke, Rey, and all their friends through the power of live music and your Winston-Salem Symphony.
