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Van Cliburn Winner Olga Kern Brings Fire to the Pasadena Symphony’s Tchaikovsky Spectacular
Arts Feb 09, 2019
Olga Kern is a direct descendant to Tchaikovsky. – Courtesy photo / Pasadena Symphony
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Olga Kern is a direct descendant to Tchaikovsky. – Courtesy photo / Pasadena Symphony
Music Director David Lockington returns to the podium to conduct the Pasadena Symphony’s Tchaikovsky Spectacular at Ambassador Auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 16 with performances at 2 and 8 p.m. This all-Tchaikovsky program features Van Cliburn winner Olga Kern, a direct descendant to Tchaikovsky himself, performing his wildly popular Piano Concerto No. 1, plus his exhilarating Fifth Symphony, exploring a romantic world of destiny, fate and shocking climaxes. The Pasadena Symphony’s ode to romance arrives just in time to celebrate with your Valentine.
Joining the orchestra for this exclusive performance, Russian-American pianist Olga Kern will take center stage for Tchaikovsky’s dazzling First Piano Concerto. “An absolute whiz at the piano,” (New York Times), Kern rose to international acclaim when she became the first woman in over 30 years to win Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Her vivid stage presence, passionately confident musicianship and extraordinary technique continue to captivate fans and critics alike. To learn more about Olga and her ancestral connection to Tchaikovsky, arrive early for Insights – a free pre-concert dialogue with Lockington that begins one hour prior to each concert.
Make it an occasion to remember and treat your Valentine to a one-of-a-kind experience with lunch or dinner in the luxurious Symphony Lounge, yet another addition to the delightful and elegant concert experience the Pasadena Symphony offers. A posh setting along Ambassador Auditorium’s beautiful outdoor plaza, the lounge will offer specialized Valentine’s themed menus at each concert from Claud & Co, fine wines by Michero Wines serving Riboli Family Wines, plus music before the concert and during intermission.
All concerts are held at Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave. in Pasadena. Subscription packages starting as low as $99 are still available. Single tickets start at $35 and may be purchased online at pasadenasymphony-pops.org or by calling (626) 793-7172.
