The final concert of the Charlottesville Symphony’s 2021-2022 season was also the first. The first concert that the full orchestra appeared onstage. COVID protocols severely limited the participation of the wind instruments throughout the season. The symphony responded with some imaginative programming that didn’t require a full orchestra. It was good to have the ensemble reunited, […]
benjamin rous
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Classical Interviews – Benjamin Rous
Courtesy of the Charlottesville Symphony profile page Benjamin Rous, music director for Charlottesville Symphony at the University of Virginia, spoke with WTJU recently about his career, his favorite works, and coming to Charlottesville. For more on Benjamin Rous, visit: Charlottesville Symphony website. These interviews aired as part of Classical Sunrise, weekday mornings from 7-9am. How he […]
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Charlottesville Symphony warms to British Riches
The Charlottesville Symphony directed by Benjamin Rous performed “British Riches” on February 15-16, 2020. The program included a variety of 20th Century UK composers. The relative rarity of the works (at least on this side of the Atlantic) made this a refreshing and engaging concert. George Butterworth’s “A Shropshire Lad” opened the program. This symphonic […]
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Charlottesville Symphony concert just misses the mark
One phrase characterizes my impression of the Charlottesville Symphony’s November 16th concert: “it was great, except for…” The program itself, “Romantic Titans” was first-rate. The first half of the program featured two orchestral works; the second two large-scale choral works. Maestro Benjamin Rouse freely admitted “Caught by the Wind” was something of an outliner. Composer […]
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Charlottesville Symphony Season Ends Energetically
The final concert of the Charlottesville Symphony’s 2018-19 season started slowly and finished in triumph. It was quite a journey. The Saturday, April 24th concerto opened with Wagner’s Prelude from “Parsifal.” This is a quiet, introspective work that uses silence as an important element. The orchestra played beautifully, achieving a shimmering quality in some passages. […]
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Charlottesville Symphony Thrill with Bartok and Mendelssohn
Bela Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 2 is a challenging work for both soloist and ensemble. Audiences were treated to a fine performance by violinist Joseph Lin, maestro Benjamin Rous, and the Charlottesville Symphony March 23 and 24th, 2019. Lin possessed all the technical ability necessary for this difficult piece. He played with a clean, pure […]
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Charlottesville Symphony combines the unusual and the inspired
Two things I really enjoy in a concert: unusual repertoire, and inspired performances. I enjoyed both in the opening concert for the Charlottesville Symphony. York Bowen’s Concerto in C minor for Viola and Orchestra constituted the unusual. Viola concertos are relatively rare, and British composer Bowen is seldom heard on this side of the Atlantic. […]
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Charlottesville Symphony Gives Rock-Solid Performances of Other-Worldly Music
The final concert of the 2017-18 season was nothing short of a triumph – at least the performance I attended Saturday, April 28. The two works on the program were separated by almost a century. And yet, in some ways, they weren’t that far apart stylistically. Kaija Saariaho’s 2002 “Orion” made up the first half […]
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Charlottesville Symphony Director discusses upcoming concert April 28/29
Gustav Host: The Planets, Op. 32 Kaija Saariaho: Orion (2002) The Charlottesville Symphony The Women of the UVA Chamber Singers Benjamin Rous, conductor April 28 & 29, 2018 Benjamin Rous, director of the Charlottesville Symphony, visited WTJU to discuss the last Masterworks concert of the season at the end of April. Listen to what Maestro […]