SC Philharmonic Performs Mozart’s Symphony No. 29 and Strauss’ Duet-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon

The South Carolina Philharmonic, winner of the 2024 Governor’s Award for the Arts, continues its 60^th Anniversary Season with the orchestra’s third installment of Wolfgang & Wine on January 18th at 7:30 PM at Koger Center for the Arts. The night begins with the vibrant rhythms of Gabriela Lena Frank’s Concertino Cusqueño, a lively dance that sweeps listeners into the colorful festivities of Peru. Richard Strauss’ Duet Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon is next. This work is a graceful pas de deux of melody and harmony that welcomes SCP members Joseph Eller (clarinet) and Patrick Herring (bassoon) to the front of the orchestra. The evening reaches its peak with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 39, which unfolds like a majestic dance of elegance and brilliance. Tickets range $15-$60 and can be purchased at scphilharmonic.com or by calling the Koger Center Box Office at (803) 251-2222, Mon-Fri. 9AM-5PM. Half-price student rush tickets are available 30 minutes prior to the concert for in-person purchases in select sections.

For this year’s Wolfgang & Wine event, the SC Philharmonic is partnering with the Koger Center for the Arts concessions for a unique wine experience.  In addition to their typical selections, the Koger’s catering department is preparing special wine offerings, paired with the musical selections being performed by the SC Phil.  Tables will be in the lobby with wine from Austria, neighboring regions and from the alto region of Italy – which is rumored to be the origin of Mozart’s favorite vino. Wine service will begin at 6:30PM and continue during intermission.

In 1947, about the time Composer Richard Strauss began to conceive of the Duet-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon, Strauss was asked by a London journalist about what was next for him. “Well, to die, of course!” said the composer, and he wasn’t far off the mark. However, the composer still had work to do, and his Duet Concertino premiered on April 4th, 1948. This innaurgal performance was broadcast on Radio Lugano, with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana conducted by Otmar Nussio, with Armando Basile on clarinet and Bruno Bergamaschi on bassoon. The SC Philharmonic is delighted to welcome principal musicians Joseph Eller (clarinet) and Patrick Herring (bassoon) to the front of the orchestra to perform the Strauss – part of the orchestra’s 60^th Anniversary celebration of local talents.

Much like the Strauss, Mozart’s Symphony No. 39 is one of the final compositions by the symphonic master. This symphony is a prime example of the composer’s genius. Taken in its entirety, the Symphony No. 39 is refreshing to the ear, its pleasures only intensified by the fact that it is rarely performed.

While the Wolfgang & Wine program explores the late-in-life works of two of the world’s greatest composers, the concert also opens with the exhilarating modernity of Concertino Cusqueño by Gabriela Lena Frank – a living composer who is making a large impact on the classical world.  Identity has always been at the center of the music of composer/pianist Gabriela Lena Frank (b. 1972), who was included in The Washington Post’s 2017 list of the 35 most significant women composers in history. Born in Berkeley, California, to a mother of mixed Peruvian/Chinese ancestry and a father of Lithuanian/Jewish descent, Frank explores her multicultural heritage most ardently through her compositions. Winner of a Latin Grammy and nominated for Grammys as both composer and pianist, Gabriela also holds a Guggenheim Fellowship and a USA Artist Fellowship given each year to fifty of the country’s finest artists.

Tickets for Wolfgang & Wine can be purchased through the Koger Center Box Office at kogercenterforthearts.com, by calling (803) 251-2222, or visiting in-person at 806 Park Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Tickets for this concert range from $15 in the balcony to $60 for premium seating. Patrons are still able to enjoy the Compose Your Own Subscription option where the buyer packages the concerts they desire.