3621 Sixth Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35222
Contact: Meredith Foster
Telephone: 205.314.6946
Email: mfoster@alabamasymphony.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saxophonist Joshua Redman Kicks-Off Concert Series
Jazz Great to Perform Compositions by Avner Dorman on October 28
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – October 8, 2010 – Jazz saxophonist Joshua Redman will kick-off the Wells Fargo Classical Edge concert series with The Alabama Symphony Orchestra on October 28, 2010, at 7 p.m. at the Alys Stephens Center. Mr. Redman, 41, will play music composed by ASO Composer-in-Residence Avner Dorman. A cocktail hour will precede the concert beginning at 6 p.m.
Hailed as one of the greatest saxophonists of our time, Mr. Redman was the 1991 winner of the Thelonius Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. He is a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society.
The Wells Fargo Classical Edge series is designed to appeal to adult audiences of all ages. It features shorter concerts of cutting-edge music that defies labels and charts new musical territory. Tickets start at just $18 and are available at alabamasymphony.org or by calling 205.975.2787.
Ten years ago Mr. Dorman, at age 25, became the youngest composer ever to win Israel’s vaunted Prime Minister’s award. He holds a Doctor of Music Composition degree from the Julliard School.
Together, Redman, Dorman, Maestro Justin Brown and the ASO will explore the secret sexiness of mathematics in music—from the roots of written music to cutting-edge improvisation.
"It's a huge thrill for me to have the chance to bring together the incredible talents of Avner Dorman and Joshua Redman, two of the biggest geniuses of today's music scene," Maestro Brown said.
Redman Plays Dorman is the first in a series of Classical Edge concerts featuring a new generation of musicians who refuse to recognize traditional musical boundaries. The concert series will traverse the entire musical landscape, from pop and rock through jazz, folk and electronica.
"The Classical Edge is all about connecting people with music without the usual restrictions. No tuxedos, no rules, no holds barred. Just music. This is the series where you get to hear what the younger generation is doing," Brown said.
"And just as with previous shows that featured the music of Chris Thile of Nickel Creek and Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead, the point is to show a new generation of listeners that orchestral music can be as cutting-edge and relevant as any other musical art form," he said.
The Wells Fargo Classical Edge series for 2010-11 includes performance by violinist and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain, jazz vocalist Luciana Souza, and “classically trained garage band” Time for Three.
About the ASO
The Alabama Symphony Orchestra has entertained audiences for more than 80 years, playing a variety of classical and popular music and hosting performances by some of the finest guest artists in the world. The 54 talented musicians of the ASO bring to life some of the world’s most treasured musical masterpieces and introduce listeners to exciting new works and composers, performing concerts for more than 100,000 persons annually.
For a full schedule of performances, visit www.alabamasymphony.org.
