TROY- “Troy Chromatic Concerts 125th season is a celebration of our continuing mission to present our audience with premiere classical music performances, and a testament to the community support that has sustained us,” said Karl Moschner, President of Troy Chromatic Concerts, “The Music Hall’s reputation was, and remains, a draw for our artists and our audience who recognize and admire the Music Hall’s unique acoustics.”
Troy Chromatic Concerts, who present chamber-music concerts and recitals at the Troy Music Hall, have assembled a group of performers for this significant season who will each provide concertgoers a distinctive and varied experience.
The season opening performance will be by The Knights with Aaron Diehl on September 17th. From The Knights, listeners can expect to experience an orchestra that crafts vibrant programs. Their roots in classical traditional music keep them firmly grounded while their collaborative programs, full of artistic discovery, make them flourish. Diehl, the pianist and composer accompanying The Knights, recently appeared with the New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra as a featured soloist.
On Thursday, Oct. 13, The Scottish Chamber Orchestra will be providing a rich experience by re-imagining the classical masters and romantic greats, as well as sharing other contemporary works. As an orchestra, the SCO is dedicated to providing as many opportunities as possible for people to listen to music by extensive touring and by its Creative Learning program. The orchestra brings music and education to schools, universities, colleges, hospitals, care homes, places of work and community centers.
Next year, Troy Music Hall attendees will be able to experience the highly-praised West-Eastern Divan Ensemble. On Thursday, Feb. 23, they will be performing, led by concertmaster and solo violinist Michael Barenboim. To close out this season will be one of the leading chamber ensembles for the last 76 years, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra.
The history of the Troy Music Hall sets up a unique backdrop for the season, with the venue’s origins reaching back into the early 20th century. Originally the Chromatics Club, the organization first use of the Music Hall was in 1902 for a concert featuring Metropolitan Opera soprano Lillian Nordica. In 1918, the Troy Music Hall became the Chromatics sole concert venue, inextricably linking their futures.
“Ever since Chromatics has endeavored to present leading classical music performers of the day to our audience, ” Moschner added.
Thanks to that tandem relationship with the Troy Music Hall, Chromatics have been able to bring a plethora of world-famous talent to the stage, such as pianist Vladimir Horowitz, contralto Marian Anderson, pianist Artur Rubinstein, soprano Leontyne Price, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and multiple appearances of conductor George Szell with the Cleveland Orchestra.
When it was threatened with closure, it was the Chromatics and its dedicated audience members that provided the necessary public support to protect it. Due to the tireless efforts to save the historic building, it became recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
“The two years under COVID restrictions had a big influence on our 125th season concert series,” Moschner explained. Despite the ‘logistical challenge’ that comes with any new season, it is all about the music.
“While our 125th season may not be as we might have otherwise ‘planned’, it demonstrates our commitment to artists and ability to attract top national and international performers with engaging programs to present our audience with engaging classical music performances,” he said.
The finest part of commemorating this historic season, according to Moschner, is “just being back in Music Hall and hearing top classical artists in the best listening environments.”
