The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Manfred Honeck.
“Every year, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra commissions at least a couple of new pieces alongside popular traditional pieces by the likes of Mozart and Beethoven,” writes Jeremy Reynolds in Wednesday’s (1/8) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “How do orchestral leaders choose who to work with? ‘I sat down with [composer] Samy Moussa in Berlin after a rehearsal …’ said Manfred Honeck, the Pittsburgh Symphony’s music director…. ‘You never know how this will go, but I found him interesting and very serious, and when I listened to his music later, it had this mysticism in its patterns. It seemed like a good fit to pair with music by Bruckner.’… In April 2024, the PSO will premiere a new work by Moussa, the orchestra announced Tuesday when it revealed the full lineup of works for the 2023-24 concert season. The orchestra also announced that it will increase the price of its subscription packages by about 5%, the first increase in five years…. Next season, the orchestra will also premiere music by Israeli composer Boris Pigovat, who has written frequently for Pittsburgh’s symphony, and American composers Michael Daugherty and Katherine Balch.” Another new work, Sarah Gibson’s to make this mountain taller, commissioned by the League of American Orchestras with the support of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, will receive its Pittsburgh premiere on November 24-26, 2023. “In addition …there’s a lineup of famous pieces … [and] ‘pops’ shows and special concerts.”
