The Best Classical Music in the New Year
Conductors at podiums and musicians at attention ready to thrill
Last year, as reported here in Biscayne Times, The Cleveland Orchestra had to cancel its annual Miami residency due to lingering complications of COVID-19. But that’s all changed now.
“We returned to Miami in November and this season, we’re expanding back to a longer residency and doing three weeks so the weeks in January will be weeks two and three,” said Cleveland Orchestra president and CEO Andre Gremillet. “Miami was the last place outside of Cleveland where we performed before the shutdown so returning here in November was a full circle moment.”
Also moving to the rhythm of a conductor's baton in 2023 is New World Symphony, now under the direction of Stéphane Denève; Orchestra Miami under Elaine Rinaldi’s direction since their founding in 2006; Alhambra Orchestra led by Dr. Daniel Andai; Miami Symphony Orchestra led by Eduardo Marturet and lauded as the official symphony orchestra of the City of Miami; South Florida Symphony Orchestra directed by Sebrina Maria Alfonso; and Nu Deco Ensemble led by Jacomo Bairos.
The following are highlights of their seasons. Visit each organization’s website (see links below) for schedules and ticket prices.
Cleveland Orchestra Miami
Kicking off 2023, Gremillet is excited about the Jan. 20 and 21 concerts at The Adrienne Arsht Center, their home in Miami, because “those performances feature works by Tchaikovsy, particularly one of his most beloved works Symphony No. 6. Then the following week on Jan. 27 and 28 we have another wonderful program with big works which are audience favorites where you can hear the full height of the Cleveland Orchestra.”
The late January program includes pieces by Tchaikovsky, Deutsch, and Respighi. Gremillet is also proud of the daytime education concerts they present for thousands of Miami-Dade County students.
“Over the years, these have been more and more important. We want to have an impact in the community and do our work with schools. We’re also excited to have launched a partnership with New World Symphony,” said Gremillet. “These are examples of what we’re trying to do in Miami which is our second home and have an impact and bring value to the classical music community. We even did a recording at the Arsht Center.”
New World Symphony
With the departure of New World Symphony’s co-founder and artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas, there are big shoes to fill and stepping into them is new artistic director Stéphane Denève.
“It is with great joy and a humbling sense of purpose that I joined the great New World Symphony family,” said Stéphane Denève. “I am extremely excited to continue the inspired dream of its founder and guiding soul, Michael Tilson Thomas, and bring transformative concert experiences both live and digital to audiences in Miami and around the world.”
His debut is set for April 8 at the symphony’s New World Center home with a performance featuring pieces by Ravel and Strauss with accompanying baritone Davone Tines. Prior to this performance, catch New World Symphony’s packed season with chamber music concerts, their popular and free Wallcast shows projected on the wall at SoundScape Park, special guests from the New York Philharmonic and even concerts for kids.
Orchestra Miami
Founder and artistic director Elaine Rinaldi has been waving the conductor’s baton at Orchestra Miami since 2006. In 2023 she’s most excited about “The Road of Promise” on February 4 and 5 at Temple Emanu-El.
“This is only the second professional performance of this piece in the US, outside of Carnegie Hall in New York City, and we have two of the biggest opera stars singing today in the cast, Anthony Dean Griffey and Mark Delavan, as well as local favorite Elizabeth Caballero who also just happens to be an international opera star,” said Rinaldi.
She explains that all their Discover Miami Through Music concerts are special, but this one is more so, in that “The Road of Promise” takes place inside of a synagogue, where the Jews have gone to seek shelter during a pogrom.
“We are performing it inside of one of the most beautiful synagogues in America. “The Road of Promise” is the oratorio version of “The Eternal Road,” a mammoth opera Kurt Weill composed in 1937, to raise awareness of what was happening to the Jewish people in Hitler’s Germany,” she said. “The opera itself was a huge success, but after it closed, it wasn’t revived again for 60 or so years, mostly due to its size- huge cast and chorus. This is a slimmed down version by Ed Harsh, lasting about two hours. It’s a rare opportunity to hear this incredible and historic music.”
They are also performing children’s concerts at Pinecrest Gardens including “Three Little Pigs” Jan. 8, “Stories from Around the Globe” Feb. 19 and “Babar the Elephant” March 26. And their popular Beethoven on the Beach is Feb. 24 and 26 and March 3.
Alhambra Orchestra
Founded 32 years ago by Dr. Leo Walz to bring a community orchestra to Miami, he recruited students and community members to perform; it has since grown to include 65-plus trained musicians. It’s Currently led by artistic director/conductor Dr. Daniel Andai, who is also dean of music at New World School of the Arts and concertmaster of Miami Symphony Orchestra.
They kick off the 2023 season on Jan. 22 at Florida International University with a performance by the trio of winners of their annual concerto competition with orchestral showpieces interspersed throughout the show. On Feb. 17 and 18 they will accompany Miami Acting Company’s presentation of “West Side Story” at Pinecrest Gardens followed by “Go for Baroque” on March 12 at Coral Gables Congregational Church ending with an all-Beethoven program for their season finale May 6 at FIU.
Miami Symphony Orchestra
At the podium under the stars in the heart of the Miami Design District and also at Peacock Park as well as the Adrienne Arsht Center, Maestro Eduardo Marturet has been conducting Miami Symphony Orchestra since 2006.
This year’s season features the Feb. 5 “Pulsing Symphonic Sounds” at The Arsht Center with guest artists on guitar and playing singing bowls. Their Chamber Music Series concerts presented at their headquarters in the Design District are Feb. 16 and April 13. Their Peacock Park Series in Coconut Grove has performances slated for Feb. 4 (Valentine’s themed), March 3, April 29 and July 4. At those shows expect a variety of accompanying musicians on stage.
South Florida Symphony Orchestra
Billed as “South Florida’s largest symphonic orchestra” and led by Sebrina Maria Alfonso, this their 25th anniversary season at New World Center on Miami Beach.
Their 2023 season includes four concerts, all featuring guest artists. The first is Masterworks II on Jan. 24 with pieces by Shostakovich, Gottsch and opera arias from Verdi and Puccini with a guest soprano and tenor. The all-Dvorak program is Masterworks IV on March 23.
Nu Deco Ensemble
Co-founder Jacomo Bairros leads Nu Deco Ensemble as artistic director and he, along with fellow co-founder Sam Hyken, have been presenting classical music with a decidedly modern twist since 2015. Describing themselves as “a hybrid orchestra that celebrates living composers and reimagines all genres of music,” Nu Deco has collaborated with contemporary artists Macy Gray, Wyclef Jean, Ben Folds and Stephen Marley, among others.
In 2023 they’ll perform a program featuring an original Nu Deco piece as well as Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” at the North Beach Bandshell on Jan. 21 with guests New York soul pop-group Lawrence. Their March 2 show at The Arsht Center features Colombian duo Monsieur Perine with a reimagined version of “Abbey Road” by The Beatles and Prokofiev’s “Romeo & Juliet.” April 2, they return to the Bandshell for a collaboration with X Ambassadors, featuring another Nu Deco original and music by Fleetwood Mac.