The Yale Symphony Orchestra (YSO), under the baton of musical director Toshiyuki Shimada, will perform a concert with internationally celebrated pianist Idil Biret on Feb. 18 in Woolsey Hall, corner of College and Grove streets, 8 p.m.
Featuring music of Paul Hindemith, Franz Liszt, and a piece by YSO manager Brian Robinson, the concert reunites the orchestra with Biret for the first time since their historic performance together in Turkey in June 2010.
A native of Ankara, Turkey, Biret studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Nadia Boulanger. A lifelong disciple of the renowned pianist Wilhelm Kempff, she embarked on her career as a soloist at age 16 appearing with major orchestras and music festivals around the world. Among her honors are the Lili Boulanger memorial Award, the French Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, and the State Artist distinction in Turkey. She has more than 80 records in her discography, and in 2007 she received the highest order of Poland — The Cavalry Cross — for her recordings and performances of Chopin’s music.
Founded by a small group of Yale College students in 1965, the Yale Symphony Orchestra is one of the premiere undergraduate orchestras in the United States and performs more than six concerts a year. The group figures prominently in Yale lore due to the annual production of its full-costume midnight Halloween show before an audience of thousands at Woolsey Hall.
Many internationally recognized artists, including Yo-Yo Ma, Frederica von Stade, Emmanuel Ax, and David Shifrin, have shared the stage with the orchestra, and many YSO alumni have gone on to rich musical careers. The YSO is a major venue for performances of new music, and has performed in major concert halls in Europe, Korea, and, most recently, Turkey. The orchestra has also toured nationally and played in such New York venues as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Tickets for the concert are $10 and $15 for general audiences, and $2 for students. Call 203-562-5666 to purchase in advance.