<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2SJMpk_0wB5vV6A00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2SJMpk_0wB5vV6A00" width="1200" height="800" ><figcaption>Pianist Yuval Chen Photo Provided</figcaption></figure>Fans of the Grammy Award-winning Albany Symphony Orchestra know they'll be in for a rip-roaring season this year, starting with the orchestra's opening concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Palace Theatre in Albany.That's because music director David Alan Miller has a methodology for each concert: A blockbuster anchor that everyone knows and loves; a world premiere or at least a very new work; and a classic that people might not have heard in years, or perhaps they know the composer but not the piece.All of that is true for Saturday’s performance: Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1; the world premiere of Michael Daugherty's “Passacaglia in Primary Colors”; and Carl Nielsen's Symphony No. 4 (“The Inextinguishable”) 1916.“For the Tchaikovsky, I discovered this young Israeli-American pianist Yuval Chen at Juilliard,” Miller said. “He's being seen as the most exciting pianist at the school and sure to have a great career. The Nielsen we haven't done in maybe 25 years. I deeply love this piece. It's about triumph over adversity, colorful and with big orchestral sonorities and a great work of art. It's very affirming even with the timpani battle — there are two on either side of the stage.“As for the Daugherty … we were supposed to premiere Tania Leon's piece but she couldn't finish it in time. So I called Michael and he did not disappoint. It's a barn burner, stand-up-and-cheer piece. It's a rearrangement of the third movement of his 'Fifteen: Symphonic Fantasy on the Art of Andy Warhol' that Pittsburgh premiered. But this will be a world premiere. It's a tour de force.”For the concerts at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 and 3 p.m. on Nov. 17 at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 (“From the New World”) is coupled with Smetana's “The Moldau” and Joan Tower's fairly new cello concerto with Raman Ramakrishnan.“Joan's piece is deeply personal, about her connection to her late husband, and the cellist teaches at Bard and knows the work. He's new for us,” Miller said.The Smetana, which is about the great Moldau River, is a sprinkling of water-related pieces that Miller is putting in this season to heighten the Water Music NY: More Voices series in which small ensembles are playing free pop-up concerts along unique venues that border the Erie Canal. The series, which is a partnership with the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, began in September and will continue for two concerts: Nov. 1 at Waterloo, available by livestream only; and Nov. 2 at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex in Savannah.“We're rediscovering New York's riches with these cool pop-up events,” Miller said. “It's all a build-up to next July's Erie Canal Bicentennial Commemoration.”The orchestral schedule, however, continues with their popular “The Magic of Christmas” at 3 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Palace. The show will feature hometown talent, from dancers to singers, in a holiday tradition.For more serious holiday fare the orchestra will be back in Troy for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 and 3 p.m. Dec. 22 shows that will feature music by Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi and a new guitar concerto by Nicky Sohn.“Nicky, who is Korean, wrote this for her friend, guitarist Bokyung Byun, who is also Korean and is winning all kinds of competitions,” Miller said. “It's a yummy, feel-good concert with favorite Baroque hits.”In January, also in Troy for 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 11 and 3 p.m. on Jan. 12, the focus is Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”) with Carlos Simon's “Fate Now Conquers” and the return of speaker Marc Bamuthi Joseph's “Suite for the Spoken Word.”“It's actually two Beethovens, as Carlos was inspired by him and Marc's piece, which we wanted to revisit from last year. It's a very poignant piece and we want to make a video of it,” Miller said.The season continues with concerts each month through June.On another note: While Miller continues to guest conduct occasionally, he's especially excited about the new faces in the orchestra.“We've just hired six new violinists including a concertmaster and a principal percussionist,” he said. “They're dazzling in their skill levels. And we'll be having auditions for winds. We've also hired a new executive director in Emily Fritz-Endres. I'm very optimistic. It's like a new direction and a beautiful time of regeneration.”<h2>Albany Symphony Orchestra</h2>HOW MUCH: $20, $41, $54 or $68</div></body>

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Albany Symphony Orchestra opens season Saturday at Palace

Fans of the Grammy Award-winning Albany Symphony Orchestra know they'll be in for a rip-roaring season this year, starting with the orchestra's opening concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Palace Theatre in Albany. That's because music director David Alan Miller has a methodology for each concert: A blockbuster anchor...