Conductor Michael Stern. Photo by Todd Rosenberg.
In Tuesday’s (3/12) KC Studio (Kansas City), Libby Hanssen writes, “We are now in the midst of Michael Stern’s farewell season as music director of the Kansas City Symphony, in which he’s brought back many beloved friends and programmed some of his favorite pieces from the orchestral repertoire…. Already this season, we’ve seen [guest artists] Yefim Bronfman, Joyce DiDonato and Pamela Frank, with performances by Joshua Bell, Jeffrey Kahane, Kelly O’Connor and Yo-Yo Ma yet to come…. This April, Stern welcomes two new voices to Helzberg Hall in an eclectic program April 5-7 that demonstrates not just the versatility of the orchestra but the wide scope that constitutes contemporary orchestral music. Xavier Foley makes his KCS debut both as soloist and composer, performing his concerto ‘Soul Bass.’ Foley is an award-winning and sought-after double bass soloist and chamber musician…. The other new voice is Grammy Award-nominated composer Angel Lam. KCS presents the world premiere of her work ‘Please let there be a paradise…’ ” “Please let there be a paradise…” was commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the generous support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation. “Stern’s programming this final season is not just about guest artists, it’s about the talented musicians in the orchestra itself. ‘I crafted all the programs in order to spotlight the individual and collective virtuosity and artistry of our KCS musicians,’ said Stern.”
