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Born in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), Russia, Ilya Itin studied at the Sverdlovsk Music School for Gifted Children with Natalia Litvinova. His subsequent studies at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, from which he graduated with Highest Honors, were with Lev Naumov.
Mr. Itin has been a prize-winner at a number of international piano competitions. At the last Leeds International Piano Competition, Ilya Itin won a unanimous decision from the jury, sweeping all the awards and winning the votes of the BBC audience. London's the Guardian described him as "the outstanding performer, with a wonderful range of colour, a truly imaginative way with texture and phrasing, and a supreme technical command."
He was also the winner of the Ninth International Robert Casadesus Competition (now The Cleveland Competition) and a prize-winner of the Arthur Rubinstein Competition.
As a soloist, he has performed under the batons of eminent conductors such as Christoph von Dohnanyi, Sir Simon Rattle, Neeme Jarvi, Mikhail Pletnev and Vassily Sinaisky.
He has appeared with orchestras in America, Europe and Asia. Highlights include performances with the Cleveland Orchestra, National Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic and the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic. He has performed extensively in England, appearing in London with the BBC Philharmonic, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. he made his Vienna debut while on tour with Sir Simon Rattle and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto which the Weiner Zeitung called "a triumphant success." His concert tours have also included engagements in China, South America, and Israel.
His career has included performances in some of the most prestigious halls in the world. He has played in London's Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall, Tokyo's Orchard Hall, New York's Lincoln Center, Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, Cleveland's Severance Hall, St. Petersburg's Great hall and paris's Salle Pleyel and the Chatelet Theater.
Of his debut at the Bath Festival, the Daily Telegraph wrote, "Poised, pure and ravishing in its range of colour, Itin's playing is a prime example of a superb technique put at the service of an inquiring and imaginative mind."
Ilya Itin has lived in the United States since 1990. Since 1991, he has been
studying with Yin Cheng Zong.
Symphony Social and Preview Luncheon
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SYMPHONY SOCIAL |
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Berlioz Roman Carnival Overture, from the opera Benvenuto Cellini (himself a Romantic figure in history, if there ever was one!), is a marvelous orchestral showpiece. Full of beautiful melodies featuring Berlioz' penchant for asymmetrical phrases, it is as fresh today as it was when it was first penned. As simple as its formal design is (introduction and allegro), its motivic treatment is remarkably well-wrought. Although it grabs you by the collar at times, a careful listening will reveal a rather subtle work, completely unique and utterly perfect in conception and realization. All of these below-the-surface characteristics are packed into a less-than-ten-minute overture which is delightful even upon first hearing. In short, there is no lowering of artistic level simply because the composer is writing for the stage. Quite the opposite, comparing Berlioz' music with that of his French contemporaries is to realize just how radical a departure from the norm his works were. They have the stamp of a very strong personality and a clear vision of a new era. The irony is that all of the Berliozian characteristics which we now admire were spurned by the composer s contemporaries. Berlioz was least successful with the opera public when he departed from the LOW artistic level of the times. The Parisian public knew what it wanted, and it wasn't quality, it was spectacle. Thankfully, time heals all wounds, even artistic ones, and Berlioz has begun to find his place on the stage instead of simply in concert programs.
Lord Byron's Don Juan, and Strauss's tone poem of the same name both explore the role of the individual when he flaunts the accepted norms of society - certainly a Romantic theme. Don Juan is more than a libertine, he is a danger to society because he represents a disregard for the constraints which help glue civilization together. It is not only Don Juan who succumbs to temptation, but his lovers as well. I often enjoy a little passage in Strauss's score in which Don Juan's object of affection for the day obviously flirts back. The music depicts the excitement of being desired and the latent danger of the moment. Frankly, Richard Strauss, for all his character faults (and there are plenty), shares with Shakespeare a tremendous capacity for depicting the feminine character in all of its splendid variety. Consider the range between Juliet and Cleopatra in the tragedies and then think of Sophie and the Marshallin in Der Rosenkavalier. Both men where not strangers to the feminine mystique! The love music of Don Juan is as graphic as any in the literature. Remarkably tender for such a rake as the title character, this lyrical music is so convincing that we, as an audience, are as taken in as Don Juan's lovers. The charm of listening to this music is in being seduced ourselves. If that were not so, this particular tone poem would have vanished from the repertoire long ago. Such tender moments are surrounded by virtuosic displays for the entire orchestra. This Don Juan is charismatic and a risk taker. He is too strong a character to be ignored, and these traits serve him well in his exploits.
Finally, a word about the Rachmaninoff piece. The great Romantic violinist Paganini was the model after which Liszt built his career. A virtuoso violinist, Paganini was also a showman - it is said that, before his performances, he made tiny cuts on the strings on his violin so they would break at any moment, forcing the artist to re-finger everything on the spot! The sheer athleticism of such a display brought crowds to the their feet and gave rise to legends that the musician had made a pact with the Devil in order to accomplish such feats. Actually, many hours of practice prepared the artist for any eventuality. The fingerings were already worked out and Paganini just waited for the critical moment when the string would break in order to display his prowess.
Paganini's works demand the greatest technical skill from their performers. Often they begin the simplest material which is transformed into a pyrotechnic display of virtuosity. Rachmaninoff chose just such a passage as the basis of his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. To listen to the work at the beginning is similar to hearing the opening of the finale to Beethoven's Eroica: this just isn t much THERE. Actually, the composer is laying the groundwork for an almost unbelievable compositional feat. From such a dearth of material will come one of the most famous melodies in the literature. Turn this upside down, that played backwards, and....well, you get the idea.
In keeping with Paganini's virtuosity, Rachmaninoff has created a work
full of technical display, yet the music contains much more that empty show.
There is genuine substance here, and it was this awareness of the substance on
the part of the pianist which drew me to engage Ilya Itin. Our soloist won the
Leeds Competition (England's greatest musical prize) with his performance of
the Rhapsody under Sir Simon Rattle. Hearing a tape of that performance was a
revelation to me, and I know you will soon feel the same way. I can t think of
a better way to end a concert or to begin our season.
See you there!
John Dodson
To kick off the season, our first ever Symphony Social, on October 6th, will be graciously hosted by Walter and Alice Derryberry in their beautiful home at 112 North Dixie Avenue from 6 til 8 p.m. This will be a lovely setting for what should prove to be a most memorable evening. We will have appetizers, cocktails, some wonderful auction items, and you will have the opportunity to meet some of the Orchestra's distinguished players, as well as hear them speak. We are really looking forward to this first-time event.
But the best part is we will have this very same type of event, each at a different home, on Friday before every concert of the season! And your Association membership of only $15 individual or $20 family will get you a deal you really shouldn't pass up. The socials are $20 per person at full price, $10 per person for members, so a couple attending only one Social and buying a family membership have saved on the ticket price already. But who would want to attend only one?! They are all going to be lots of fun, so we hope to see you there for all five Socials. The dates are: Oct. 6, Nov. 10, Feb. 2, Mar. 2, and Apr. 29. Mark your calenders and plan on having a very good time!
I also want to bring to your attention the fact that this year our Preview Luncheons, which occur at noon on the Friday before each concert, will alternate between the First Presbyterian Church here in Cookeville and the Depot in Crossville. We wanted to find some way to thank our many faithful Crossville area patrons. If you have never taken the time to attend a Luncheon, you are missing out on a gem of an opportunity. Mr. Dodson always gives a not only enlightening but often impassioned insight into that concert's program...and the food's great! Once again, your membership will get you a discount, $6 for members, $10 for non-members. What a deal!! The first Luncheon will be here in Cookeville, on Oct. 6, with all others following on the same dates as the Socials.
Reservations are required for all events, although they are all pay-at-the- door. Look for a postcard announcing each Symphony Social, and if for some reason you or someone you know does not receive one, call the symphony office at 372-6088 to make your reservations. We are requesting that all reservations be made on the Monday before each event to help us with our planning.
We will see you there!
Jan Tate
Volunteer Coordinator
Don't miss the Concert Preview Conversations with Dr. Catherine Godes
October 8 at 2:00 p.m. in Room 223 of the Bryan Fine Arts Building.
The October 8th concert is sponsored in part by
Prudential Securities of Cookeville
| Season Tickets | Adults: $80.00 Seniors: $75.00 Students: $30.00 |
| Individual Tickets | Adults: $20.00 Students: $8.00 |
Tickets may be purchased by calling 372-6088.
REMINDER: If you are unable to attend a concert, please donate your tickets to the orchestra for resale by
calling the Bryan Symphony Orchestra office at 372-6088.
This is especially crucial for the October 8th concert since it will be one of the activities planned in conjunction
with the inauguration of President Robert Bell.
Janet served the Bryan Symphony Board well for a number of years. Janet was a member of the board for six years before accepting the position of Executive Director in 1995. One of the gifts she has brought to her job was her love of music. Janet's past work experience and organizational skill helped her tremendously in the sometimes hectic and frazzled world of the BSO. Janet's greatest attribute was her genuine desire to enhance the role that the Bryan Symphony Orchestra plays in the lives of the people of Cookeville and the Upper Cumberland. THANK YOU JANET.
I would like to say how glad the board is to have found our new Executive Director, Gail Luna. Gail brings to us a vast experience in working within other civic and service organizations as well as an appreciation of music. Gail began work on August 21 and has already jumped in headfirst.
Finally, a new season has begun for Bryan Symphony Orchestra. Moreover, what a beginning it was. I am sorry for those of you whom missed the concert on the Square that was part of the Fall Fun Fest. The job that John and his players did was superb. The concert was well attended and enabled us to broaden the orchestra's exposure in the community. Many gracious comments were passed around.
I also want to express my thanks to all the volunteers that worked in the BSO's booth at the Fall Fun Fest. There was a constant stream of people and interest throughout the day. It was because of those that volunteered their day that a great many people learned what the orchestra could mean for them.
The education and outreach booth was packed all day with children and their
parents making and playing instruments and playing games relating to the
orchestra. Special thanks to TTU Mu Phi Fraternity for setting up the petting
zoo of very popular assorted instruments and to Putnam County music
specialists, a volunteer student from Prescott School, area Girl Scouts, BSO
Association members and BSO education and outreach committee.
The music specialists encouraged their students to attend the concert and to
stop by the booth. It is wonderful to see so many children and their parents
stop by and visit their teacher at the booth. Students from Prescott School
received extra points for their attendance at the BSO Pops concert. This
incentive created lots of interest for the students.
Linda Ferreira
Bryan Symphony Orchestra
Office: Room 355 372-6088
Bryan Fine Arts Building
e-mail address: bryansymphony@tntech.edu
Gail Luna, Executive Director and Co-editor of Notes and Notices
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