Orchestra at Temple Square, Russian pianist set Sept. 22 concert

The Orchestra at Temple Square, with Russian guest pianist Ilya Itin, will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 22 as part of Idaho State University’s “A Season of Note” series at the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall in the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center.Tickets are $24 for the main level or $18 for the upper level. Information and tickets are available by calling the Stephens Center Box Office at (208) 282-3595.

The Orchestra at Temple Square is a nationally recognized symphony orchestra that functions concurrently as a concert orchestra and as a companion volunteer organization to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Temple Square Chorale.

Its guest soloist, Itin, is an internationally acclaimed pianist who has received rave reviews from publications as wide ranging and diverse as the Le Monde in Paris, France, to The Jerusalem Post in Israel.

“A great master, his style combines ample technique, maturity, lyric fantasy, and liberty,” opined a music critic for the Le Monde. Meanwhile, a critic from The Jerusalem Post said, “Itin is a master: his tone graded to the tiniest detail and imbued with wide expressive range indeed” and a critic for the Washington Post said Itin’s playing “has great charm, finely controlled color and moments of emotive power.”

Itin was born in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Prior to entering the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, he studied at the Sverdlovsk Music Conservatory, from which he graduated with highest honors. He has been a featured pianist with famous orchestras from around the world, including the London Philharmonic and Tokyo Philharmonic.

“We’re exceptionally lucky to have a pianist the caliber of Itin perform in concert in Pocatello, and his appearance with the Orchestra at Temple Square makes it just that much more special,” noted George Casper, director for events at ISU.

More information on Itin is available at www.jwentworth.com.

The Orchestra at Temple Square was created in 1999 under the direction of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of the creative initiative to continually strengthen and expand the capabilities of the church music organizations. Under the direction of Igor Gruppman, conductor, the orchestra functions concurrently as a concert orchestra and as a companion volunteer organization to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Temple Square Chorale.

The orchestra undertakes its own concert season performing from standard orchestral literature. In highly successful past seasons, the orchestra has given critically acclaimed performances of such masterworks as Symphony No. 8 (”Unfinished”) by Schubert, Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 as well as his Violin Concerto in G Major, Symphony No. 8 by Dvorak, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 as well as works by Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Verdi, Barber and Vaughan Williams.

Other “A Season of Note” concerts and performances include:

• Nov. 3 – The Salt Lake Repertory Dance Theatre, which has been celebrating the art of dance in performance and education since 1987 and produces main stage ballets with professional artists and musicians. Tickets are $16 for the main level or $12 for the upper level.

• Nov. 4 – DRUM! Is Nova Scotia’s new musical production, featuring 20 musicians, dancers, drummers and singers from four of the principle cultures of Canada–black, Acadian, aboriginal and Celtic–brought together to produce a fusion of music, dance, poetry, video, rhythm and song. Tickets are $28 for the main level or $22 for the upper level.

• Dec. 9 – Acoustic Eidolon is comprised of Joe Scott and Hannah Alkire who combine their musical talents. Scott plays a custom acoustic guitar, the double neck guitjo, an instrument he invented. Alkire performs on the classic cello. Tickets are $16 for the main level or $12 for the upper level.

• Dec. 19 – Kurt Bestor will return to Pocatello for the second year to perform a unique Christmas show. His show features guest musicians and an orchestra, as well as Bestor’s own playing, conducting and emceeing. The show features original arrangements of classic and contemporary Christmas songs. Tickets are $28 for the main level or $22 for the upper level.

• Feb. 24, 2007 – Samarabalouf is a music trio hailing from France that plays original music in the spirit of world-famous Gypsy jazz star Django Reinhardt and his rhythmic guitar. The recent addition of an accordion brings originality, humor, virtuosity and emotions to this group. Tickets are $24 for the main level or $18 for the upper level.

• March 31, 2007 – The Celtic Tenors were signed on the spot to an international record deal following an impromptu audition in London in 2000, an event so unprecedented that it soon became the talk of the music industry. The group has been growing in popularity since. Tickets are $24 for the main level or $18 for the upper level.