Llewellyn to Lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in an All-Mozart Concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park Saturday, June 27
Program To Feature Pianist Pedja Muzijevic In His ASO Debut Performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor
Also On the Program is Overture to Marriage of Figaro and Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
Conductor Grant Llewellyn will make his ASO debut leading the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
in an all-Mozart concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park on Saturday, June 27,
2009, at 8:00 p.m. The concert will feature pianist Pedja Muzijevic, also in his ASO debut,
performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto in D Minor. Also on the program is the Overture to
Marriage of Figaro, and the Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter.” The new 12,000-seat state-of-the-art
facility is located in Alpharetta, GA (north of Atlanta), and opened in May 2008.
The Amphitheatre — nominated by Pollstar Concert Industry Awards as 2008 “Best New Major
Concert Venue” and “Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue,” — serves as the outdoor home to the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The scope of Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park has
brought a new dimension to the region’s seasonal artistic offerings by featuring concerts with the
internationally-recognized Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, leading popular presentations, as well
as an emphasis on community events — including high school graduations, local fundraising
events, and collaborations to create family-themed days, high school music concerts, and
competitions.
Additional Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Concerts
Other scheduled ASO concerts at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park:
• On Saturday, July 4, 2009 at 8:00 p.m., Bridget Reischl will lead the Orchestra in an
Independence Day concert featuring The U.S. Army Chorus. Fireworks will follow
the concert.
• On Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 8:00 p.m., ASO Assistant Conductor and League of
American Orchestras Fellow Mei-Ann Chen will lead the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra in the music of Star Wars. Also on the program is R. Strauss’s Prelude to
Also sprach Zarathustra, and Holst’s The Planets, which will feature NASA footage
of the solar system.
• On Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 8:00 p.m., Hugh Wolff will lead the Orchestra in an all-
Beethoven concert featuring pianist Juho Pohjonen in his ASO debut performing the
Piano Concerto No. 3. Also on the program will be Leonore Overture No. 3, and the
Symphony No. 7.
• On Saturday, August 1, 2009 at 8:30 p.m.¸ Richard Kaufman will lead the ASO in
“Rodgers and Hammerstein at the Movies,” a Turner Classic Movies Night hosted by
TCM Host Robert Osborne. The program will feature footage from Rodgers and
Hammerstein classics such as State Fair, The King and I, South Pacific, Oklahoma,
The Sound of Music, and Carousel.
• On Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 8:00 p.m., sixteen-year-old conductor Ilyich Rivas
will make his U.S. debut leading the ASO in Verdi’s Vespri Overture, Tchaikovsky’s
Symphony No. 4, and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto featuring Elena Urioste as
soloist.
• As part of the annual Starbucks Free Parks Concerts, the ASO will perform a free
concert for the community at the Amphitheatre in September 2009. Details will be
announced.
* The gates for all ASO concerts will open one hour before the start of each concert.
Community Concerts and Events
As part of the annual Starbucks Free Parks Concerts, the ASO will perform a free concert for the
community at the Amphitheatre in September 2009. Details will be announced.
On Saturday, May 23, 2009, the local Alpharetta High School Class of 2009 held their
graduation at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, one of a number of community
events planned to take place at the venue.
On Saturday, April 18, 2009, the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce held its 36th
Annual Chairman’s Gala at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park.
The Amphitheatre Experience
“When a cool breeze whisked away the muggy air at sunset, the north Atlanta suburbs felt a little like summer classic music festivals at Tanglewood, Aspen or Santa Fe,” said The Birmingham News after the ASO’s all-Beethoven concert last summer.
The Amphitheatre opened on May 10, 2008 with Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus, including a 700-musician grand-finale performance of Tchaikovsky’s
1812 Overture. The 2008 inaugural classical concert season also featured Robert Spano and the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in an array of programs including a concert-staged production of
Puccini’s La Bohème, a 4th of July spectacular, a free concert for the community, and artists
including Garrick Ohlsson, Robert McDuffie, Julie Andrews, Robert Osborne (Turner Classic
Movies), and the Marcus Roberts Trio.
Each Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park
offers table-seating in the main Orchestra section of the venue, reserved seating throughout the
pavilion, and lawn seating. Complementing this seating variation is an experience influenced by
the repertoire and theme of the Orchestra: Live on-site broadcasts, Top of the Lawn
conversations, and themed cuisine allow audiences to create their own unique evening of
enjoyment at the ASO’s summer home.
Live On-Site Broadcast & Text-Message Questions from Audience
The Atlanta Symphony continues the tradition of introducing members of the ASO to the
audience with an evening-long live, on-site broadcast of the concert on large 15′x20′ screens,
which are permanently affixed on either side of the stage. The live feed will include a preconcert
show, as well as live intermission interviews of guest artists and musicians from the
Orchestra, fueled by text-message questions sent by the audience the night of the concert.
Top of the Lawn
Pre-concert Top of the Lawn events will continue in 2009. ASO Insider and Program Annotator
Ken Meltzer will take his pre-concert conversations to the tree-lined lawn of the Amphitheatre
prior to each Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert at the venue. Mr. Meltzer’s conversations
with ASO musicians will take place at the top-center of the lawn, and include a Q&A with the
audience. All Top of the Lawn events begin at 7:10 p.m. before each 8:00 p.m. ASO concert.
This event will begin at 7:40 p.m. on Saturday, August 1 (Rodgers & Hammerstein at the
Movies) when the concert begins at 8:30 p.m.
Themed Cuisine
Ovations, the on-site caterer for Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, will offer themed cuisine to
complement the programming of all ASO concerts at the Amphitheatre. For the ASO’s June 27
concert, an Austria-Euro themed cuisine will accompany the regular fare offered at the venue.
Concertgoers may pre-order a $30 picnic basket (which serves two people) of sliced breast of
roasted paprika chicken, zesty dill cucumber salad, and hazelnut cheesecake. Concertgoers may
also enjoy an Almond Concerto of chili, sea salt and dark chocolate almonds from the
concessions the night of the concert.
To pre-order a picnic basket, or to view the full menu available for each concert, visit the
General Info/Food and Beverage section online at http://www.vzwamp.com/planvisit/foodand-
beverage.php.
Popular Concerts
The ASO recently presented two sold-out concerts of the Dave Matthews Band on April 27 and
28, 2009. Other scheduled concerts include a sold-out Kenny Chesney performance on May 28,
2009; Chicago/Earth Wind & Fire on June 6, 2009; Styx and REO Speedwagon on June 21,
2009; Stevie Wonder on June 24, 2009; StarFest featuring Jason Mraz on July 27, 2009; Bob
Dylan with John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson on July 30, 2009; Incubus on August 14, 2009;
Judas Priest/Whitesnake on August 20, 2009; O.A.R on August 21, 2009; and Journey on
September 19, 2009, among others. Additional concerts will be announced. For up-todate
concert listings and information, visit vzwamp.com.
The 2009 venue sponsors include Verizon Wireless, Bud Light, AirTran Airways, Cadillac,
Chevrolet, Georgia Natural Gas, Belvedere, Vineyard Brands, Publix, Shoreline Limousine and
North Fulton Regional Hospital.
Artists
Conductor Grant Llewellyn is Music Director of the North Carolina Symphony as well as
Principal Conductor of the Handel & Haydn Society. Born in Tenby, South Wales, Mr.
Llewellyn won a Conducting Fellowship to the Tanglewood Music Center in 1985 where he
worked with such major artists as Bernstein, Ozawa, Masur and Previn, and was later appointed
Assistant Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Llewellyn began his tenure as North Carolina Symphony Music Director in 2004. Critics
have praised his “transcendent performances,” “masterful pacing and control,” and “graceful and
expressive direction.” Notable recent European guest engagements have included the Frankfurt
Radio Symphony Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony, the SWR Radio Symphony
Orchestra Stuttgart, and the Helsinki Philharmonic. These concerts will mark his Atlanta
Symphony Orchestra debut.
Pianist Pedja Muzijevic has toured extensively as a soloist with orchestras and as a recitalist
throughout eastern and western Europe, Great Britain, Canada, the United States, South
America, Australia and Asia. His artistic curiosity has led him to explore both the music of the
18th and 19th centuries on period instruments and the music of contemporary composers.
Mr. Muzijevic has performed with the Milwaukee Symphony, the Residentie Orkest in The
Hague, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Dresden Philharmonic, Shinsei Nihon Orchestra in Tokyo,
Orquesta Sinfonica in Montevideo, and the Zagreb Philharmonic, among others. He has played
solo recitals at Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, and the Frick Collection in New York, Casals
Hall and Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, Teatro Municipal in Santiago de Chile, Da Camera of
Houston, and the National Gallery in Washington, DC. His Carnegie Hall concerto debut
playing Mozart Concerto K. 503 with the Oberlin Symphony, led by ASO Music Director Robert
Spano, was recorded live and has been released on the Oberlin Music label. These performances
will mark his Atlanta Symphony Orchestra debut.
About the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 64th season, is one of America’s leading orchestras, known for the excellence of its live performances, presentations, renowned choruses, and its impressive list of Grammy® Award-winning recordings. The leading cultural organization in the Southeast, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra serves as the cornerstone for artistic development and music education in the region. Under the Creative Partnership of Music Director Robert Spano, Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles, and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore since September 2001, the Orchestra and audiences together explore a creative programming mix, recordings, and visual enhancements, such as the ASO Theater of a Concert, the Orchestra’s continuing exploration of different formats, settings, and enhancements
for the musical performance experience. Another example is the Atlanta School of Composers, which reflects Mr. Spano and the Orchestra’s commitment to nurturing and championing music through multi-year partnerships defining a new generation of American composers.
During its 31-year history with Telarc, the Orchestra has recorded more than 100 albums and its recordings have won 26 Grammy Awards in categories including Best Classical Album, Best Orchestral Performance, Best Choral Performance, and Best Opera Performance. The ASO Chorus has earned nine Grammy® Awards for Best Choral Performance, most recently for the Berlioz Requiem in 2005.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performs more than 200 concerts each year to a combined audience of more than a half million in a full schedule of performances which also feature educational and community concerts. A recognized leader and supporter of contemporary American music, the Orchestra recently received the 2007 award for Strongest Commitment to New American Music from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. In addition, Music Director Robert Spano was named Musical America 2008 Conductor of the Year. With the opening of the 12,000-seat Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park (vzwamp.com) in May 2008, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra became the first U.S. orchestra to annually perform and present in its concert hall, and in two amphitheaters. For 36 years, the Orchestra has also performed at the legendary Chastain Park Amphitheater, the award-winning 6,800 seat venue in Atlanta, during the ASO’s annual Delta Classic Chastain concert series (deltaclassicchastain.com).
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 86.6 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 86,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and highresolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
About the Woodruff Arts Center
The Woodruff Arts Center is the largest arts center in the Southeast as well as one of the largest in the nation. The Woodruff is unique in that it combines four visual and performing arts divisions on one campus as one not-for-profit organization. Opening in 1968, the Woodruff Arts Center is home to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Alliance Theatre, High Museum of Art, and Young Audiences. To learn more about the Woodruff Arts Center, please visit woodruffcenter.org.
Ticket Information
Single tickets for Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concerts at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre are
now available to the public. Tickets remaining Orchestral and Popular Concerts may be
purchased at the Woodruff Arts Center Box Office, located in the Woodruff Arts Center at
15th and Peachtree Streets. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at the
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Box Office Monday through Friday, noon to 4:00 p.m., and
Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. To purchase tickets online, visit atlantasymphony.org
or ticketmaster.com. Tickets may also be purchased by calling 1-800-745-3000, or by visiting
any Ticketmaster outlet, including Publix Super Markets.
Saturday, June 27, 2008 (All-Mozart) — table, concert, and lawn seating: $21–$59
Saturday, July 4, 2008 (Independence Day) — table, concert, and lawn seating: $21–$59
Saturday, July 11, 2008 (Star Wars) — table, concert, and lawn seating: $21–$59
Saturday, July 25, 2008 (All-Beethoven) — table, concert, and lawn seating: $21–$59
Saturday, August 1, 2008 (Rodgers and Hammerstein) — table, concert, and lawn seating: $21–59
Saturday, August 15, 2008 (Rising Stars) — table, concert, and lawn seating: $21–$59
The Starbucks Free Parks Concert for the community will be a free event, but will require
tickets. Details will be announced.
Additional concert and ticket information for popular concerts will be announced.
* * *
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park is owned by the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, Inc., and is operated by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Upon the opening of the Amphitheatre, the ASO became the first U.S. orchestra to perform and present in its concert hall and in two amphitheaters. For 36 years, the ASO has presented and performed concerts at Chastain Park Amphitheater, the legendary award-winning 6,800-seat venue in Atlanta. The investment by the Woodruff Arts Center, with the support of the Woodruff Foundation, will advance the mission of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and also continue to have a significant economic impact on the entire region.
* * *
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park is located at 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta, GA, 30009. For information, visit atlantasymphony.org or vzwamp.com, or call (404) 733-5010.
* * *
Major support is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council.
* * *
MAGNIFICENT MOZART
Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, Alpharetta, GA
Saturday, June 27, 2009, 8:00 p.m.
Grant Llewellyn, conductor*
Pedja Muzijevic, piano*
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
MOZART Overture to Marriage of Figaro
MOZART Piano Concerto in D minor
MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter”
* denotes ASO debut
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