WEST BARNSTABLE, MA —September 5, 2024
The Cape Symphony Orchestra will open its 2024/25 season on September 21 & 22, 2024 with the first concert in its Masterpiece series. “Pictures at an Exhibition,” featuring magnificent works by John Adams, Gabriela Lena Frank, Richard Strauss, and Modest Mussorgsky, will be conducted by Jean-Claude Picard, a candidate to become Cape Symphony’s next Music Director.
Mr. Picard is known for the natural and collaborative rapport he establishes with his fellow musicians. He has served as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, Associate Conductor of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Chief Conductor of the Scottish Ballet, and guest conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Opera, Symphony Nova Scotia, Orchestra symphonique de Québec, and others across North America and Europe.
This season’s Masterpiece performances will each be led by a candidate for the Music Director position at Cape Symphony. The repertoire features warhorses from the Western canon chosen to showcase the talent and skill of these fine conductors. “Pictures at an Exhibition” will include Adams’s “Short Ride in a Fast Machine,” Frank’s “Elegía Andina,” Strauss’s “Four Last Songs,” and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” Award-winning soprano Hyunah Yu Brody, acclaimed for her voice, style, grace, and stage presence, will sing “Four Last Songs.”
“These pieces hold a special place for me because they collectively explore the breadth of human experience in ways that are both profound and relatable,” said Jean-Claude Picard. “Each work, in its own unique way, tells a story—one that resonates with our shared emotions and memories. They encompass the full spectrum of what it means to be alive: from the exhilarating rush of life’s fast pace, the deep connection to cultural roots, to the acceptance of our vulnerabilities, and the celebration of our inner strength. These works don’t just entertain; they invite us to feel, to remember, and to connect with something greater than ourselves.”
Cape Symphony welcomes audience involvement in its Music Director search. The public may observe Jean-Claude Picard in rehearsal with the Orchestra from 7:00 – 8:30 PM on Thursday, September 19, 2024 at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center. “Pictures at an Exhibition” ticketholders are invited to get to know him at a Q&A session led by Assistant Conductor Joe Marchio beginning one hour before each performance, and will be encouraged to convey their thoughts via a survey to be emailed the following week.
“Pictures at an Exhibition” will be performed Saturday, September 21 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, September 22 at 3:00 PM at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center, 744 West Main Street, Hyannis. For tickets, visit capesymphony.org, call the Cape Symphony Box Office at 508.362.1111, email tickets@capesymphony.org, or visit the Box Office at 2235 Iyannough Road in West Barnstable, Monday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Tickets for students aged 6 to 22 are 50% off individual ticket prices.
Media Contact:
Susan Sundermeyer, Public Relations & Marketing Coordinator
774-470-2282; ssundermeyer@capesymphony.org
About Cape Symphony
At Cape Symphony, our mission is to Inspire Joy. We do this through outstanding entertainment and educational programs. The Cape Symphony Orchestra performs at the Barnstable Performing Arts Center in Hyannis. From popular hits to magnificent classics, the emphasis is always on beautiful music. “Cape Symphony Presents” programming brings world-class artists of a wide variety of genres to intimate venues across the Cape. Cape Symphony offers music education for all ages through private instrumental and voice lessons, group music classes, ensembles, dance instruction, and art classes at our West Barnstable and Falmouth campuses. Cape Symphony Preschool is acclaimed for its arts-infused curriculum and holistic approach to learning. Visit www.capesymphony.org for more information.
