Renowned Raschèr Saxophone Quartet as soloist of KSO on 26th of October at 6 pm

Published 18.10.2023

Path of Diamonds concert conducted by Grammy awarded Karen Kamensek

On Thursday 26th of October at 6 pm we will enjoy a rare performance at the Kuopio Music Centre’s Concert Hall, when the soloist of the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra’s concert Path of Diamonds will be the whole Raschèr Saxophone Quartet. The ensemble will play Philip Glass’ concerto for four saxophones, composed for the quartet. The KSO will be conducted by Karen Kamensek, who received the Grammy Award for her dazzling interpretations of Glass. The concert begins with the Finnish premiere of Camille Pepin’s Vajrayana and it ends with Robert Schumann’s 2nd symphony.

The world-renowned Raschèr Saxophone Quartet commissioned a concerto for four saxophones from the American minimalist Philip Glass. The condition was that the piece should be able to be performed both with and without an orchestra. Consequently, Glass composed two different versions of the piece, which were premiered by the Raschèr Quartet in 1995. In Kuopio, the piece will have its 170th performance and we will naturally hear the orchestral version. It will be conducted by Karen Kamensek, who received the Grammy Award for her dazzling interpretations of Glass.

The mood of the evening will be set with Vajrayana (Diamond Path) by Camille Pepin, one of the most prestigious composers of her generation. The piece is based on the Buddhist worldview. “If it can be said that there are five elements in Tibetan Buddhism (earth, water, fire, wind, and space), they define themselves as fundamental and sacred energies of existence encountered in the psychic dimension of [human] beings… These cosmic energies are at the origin of the worlds of earthly and spiritual existence: that is the Vajrayāna. I conceived the piece as a progression through the different stages of the spiritual world”, tells Pepin.

After the intermission, we will enjoy guaranteed quality from Schumann, whose second symphony contains references to other diamonds in the history of music, Bach and Beethoven. Before starting to compose the symphony Schumann studied Bach’s chorales. This can be heard in the introduction of the final movement. Also Beethoven is present, especially in the last movement which contains echos of Ode to Joy.

Tickets: 33 € / 27 € senior citizens and groups min. 20 persons / 11 € children under the age of 16 and students / 4 € concert day discount ticket for students and young people under the age of 20. Customer-owners of the Northern Savo Osuupankki: 28 € / 25 € senior citizens. Prices include the Kuopio Music Centre service fee 2 € / ticket. The service fees vary depending on the place of purchase.

KUOPIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Producer & Publicity Manager Elina Prepula, tel. 044 718 2364, elina.prepula(at)kuopio.fi
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