“When Ron told me about it, I said, ‘We have to do it!’” exclaimed Laura James.
“When Ron told me about it, I said, ‘We have to do it!’” exclaimed Laura James. In addition to the two public performances Dec. 17 and 18 at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, the James Family Trust sponsorship will also fund a performance Dec. 16 for the community’s schoolchildren. Season tickets are now available at AZPhil.org for the best seating and prices.
“We are thrilled to collaborate on this iconic Christmas performance with the MFAB Alumni and the Yavapai Youth Choirs, and plan to expand to the full Nutcracker performance in the future as the academy grows in its new Prescott home,” added AZ Phil Executive Director Henry Flurry.
Concert Season Lineup
The AZ Phil season begins Aug. 21 with Maestro Peter Bay returning to Prescott to open Arizona Philharmonic’s fifth season conducting a full orchestra in a joyful program entitled “Dancing from Tonga to Vienna.” Pianist and Steinway Artist Thomas Pandolphi will join the performance. Sept. 25 will see the return of the Sonoran Winds Quintet, comprised of Arizona Philharmonic’s five principal woodwind players, for another captivating concert.
“Classic Wines in New Bottles” will be presented on Oct. 16, by Maestro Peter Bay, a concert of music inspired by composers and genres from earlier eras. Violinist Katie McLin solos in J.S. Bach’s “Violin Concerto No. 2.” AZ Phil also honors the people of Ukraine with Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk’s “Melody,” a beautiful work embraced as a spiritual anthem for the nation.
New to Prescott: A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration
In collaboration with the Margot Fonteyn Academy of Ballet, AZ Phil is delighted to bring a full orchestra to the stage conducted by British conductor Alexander Walker to present “A Nutcracker Christmas Celebration,” Dec. 17 and 18, for a memorable evening of festive holiday dance and music. International alumni of the Academy dance to Tchaikovsky’s iconic “Nutcracker Suite” and Frederick Ashton’s “Les Patineurs,” a winter ballet set to the music of Giacomo Meyerbeer. Under the direction of Arlene Hardy, The Yavapai Youth Choirs complement these performances with their angelic voices accompanying the orchestra in the ballet and in Christmas music. “We are delighted for the James Family Trust sponsorship to bring this unique artistic collaboration to the stage this year and anticipate expanding it in future years to a full Nutcracker production,” said Flurry.
Jan. 8, 2023, sees the return of Prescott-native and internationally-acclaimed Steinway artist James D’León, as he once again joins the Arizona Philharmonic String Quartet for another stunning piano quintet concert. Violinist Katie McLin, other principal string players of Arizona Philharmonic, and D’León present Haydn’s classical “Piano Trio No. 39 in G major,” Robert Schumann’s luscious “Piano Quintet,” and Paul Schoenfield’s jazzy and sensuous “Cafe Music.”
Feb. 5 brings the percussion quartet, manos, to the stage, featuring AZ Phil’s principal percussionist Eddie Solomon now joining AZ Phil timpanist Maria Flurry and Tucson Symphony Orchestra percussionists Homero Cerón and Fred Morgan. From delicate to bold to unabashedly fun, manos delights the ears and fills the soul with percussion’s wealth of musical possibilities.
The 2022-2023 season concludes April 2, with Dr. Joshua Harper’s elite chorus Quartz Ensemble performing “Elijah.” In their third appearance with Arizona Philharmonic, Quartz Ensemble returns to present a Joachim Linckelmann chamber orchestra arrangement of Felix Mendelssohn’s masterpiece, “Elijah.” Once again, the stunning clarity of a 12-voice professional choir shines with the lighter orchestration that Linckelmann crafts.
Ticket Information
Season tickets can be purchased for all seven events at a 25% discount, as well as discounts on five and three concert packages. Visit AZPhil.org for all ticketing and concert information. QCBN
By Sandy Farrell
Arizona Philharmonic (AZ Phil) is celebrating its fifth season in Prescott in 2022-2023 as Prescott’s regional professional orchestra, presenting large and small concerts that engage and inspire listeners. Based in Prescott, AZ Phil draws musicians from across Arizona and is committed to offering transformative music, while nurturing community participation and supporting the needs and growth of the Prescott area performing arts scene. Recognized in 2021 by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Arts and Culture, Arizona Philharmonic is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Ticket information, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities can be found at AZPhil.org or on Facebook.
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