Richard Danielpour Violin Concerto, August 5

Photo by Susan Unterberg

Renowned violinist Chantal Juillet and The Philadelphia Orchestra will premiere a new violin concerto by former Yaddo guest Richard Danielpour Saturday, August 5, at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs. The concerto is a special commission by SPAC and the Orchestra to commemorate the 100th anniversaries of Yaddo and The Philadelphia Orchestra.

"All of us at Yaddo are honored to join the Saratoga Performing Arts Center and The Philadelphia Orchestra in welcoming this major new composition by our friend, the distinguished young composer Richard Danielpour," said Michael G. Sundell, President of Yaddo. "What a fine way to celebrate the beginning of Yaddo's second century of nurturing the creative arts in America."

The August 5 performance is the world premiere for Mr. Danielpour's new violin concerto. Maestro Charles Dutoit will conduct The Philadelphia Orchestra in the Saratoga premiere of the piece and again later in the fall in Philadelphia, where the violin concerto will be part of the Orchestra's own centennial celebration.

Fascinated with the character of the fool, the court jester, Mr. Danielpour has subtitled his new three-movement work A Fool's Paradise, with the fool serving as a metaphor for the artist and anybody with the gift for seeing things as they really are. "As in 'King Lear,' the fool is the only individual allowed to speak the truth without being punished for it. Artists have become the fools of the 20th century and now the 21st, and for the most part we're allowed to say what we want without being beheaded," explained Mr. Danielpour.

Mr. Danielpour expressed his enthusiasm for the commission and his ongoing involvement with Yaddo by stating, "Yaddo has been such an incredible place for me to work. I can't imagine my life as a composer without having had that time to be there. It makes me very happy to return something in kind."

Mr. Danielpour has been a guest artist at Yaddo many times, beginning in 1983 and most recently in the summer of 1999. His first symphony was written at Yaddo in the fall of 1984. During his 1997 Yaddo residency, Mr. Danielpour completed Spirits in the Well, a new song cycle with text by Toni Morrison that was premiered in May, 1998, at Lincoln Center by Jessye Norman. He has received more than 30 commissions from organizations as diverse as the New York Philharmonic, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, and Absolut Vodka. His cello concerto was recorded by Yo-Yo Ma and The Philadelphia Orchestra with David Zinman. The resulting CD, "Premieres," won Best Classical Album and two other awards at the 1998 Grammys.

Mr. Danielpour's violin concerto commission is particularly meaningful because it highlights the ongoing relationship between SPAC and Yaddo. In 1996, Mr. Danielpour was the first recipient of the Jane Adams Wait Residency at Yaddo, established that year by The Adirondack Trust Company to honor the dedication and service of Jane A. Wait to The Corporation of Yaddo and the cultural life of the Saratoga region. Mrs. Wait is a Member of The Corporation of Yaddo and was the founding president of The Yaddo Garden Association, a volunteer group dedicated to restoring and maintaining the public portion of the Yaddo estate in Saratoga Springs. Among her many other civic roles, Mrs. Wait and her late husband, Newman, were founders of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Sponsored residencies at Yaddo are a valuable means by which individuals and organizations interested in the arts can support the work of the artists Yaddo serves. The Jane Adams Wait Residency was established with the intent to support visits to Yaddo by artists working in performing arts which might premiere at SPAC.

Last summer, Ms. Juillet named Mr. Danielpour 1999 composer-in-residence for the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival at SPAC. She included a number of the composer's works in her sold-out series at SPAC's Little Theatre, including "Urban Dances," "Shadow Dances," and "Quintet for Piano and Strings."

"We are very pleased to be a part of this special commission," said Herb Chesbrough, SPAC President and Executive Director. "It's a wonderful way to celebrate the centennial of the Orchestra and Yaddo and also the 10th anniversary of Chantal Juillet at SPAC. Each year, Dutoit challenges us with programming and the creation of new music is the ultimate challenge to a summer festival. We are very excited to work with Richard Danielpour on this commission. I was first introduced to Richard 20 years ago by our late Chairman, Lew Swyer, and have always looked forward to the opportunity to present his music."

Joseph H. Kluger, president of The Philadelphia Orchestra, said, "One of the most gratifying chapters in the Orchestra's 100-year history has been its residency at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. "This extends beyond the warmth that SPAC and the Saratoga Springs community have shown the Orchestra. SPAC has commissioned numerous works for the Orchestra over the years, which is an extraordinary gesture for a facility. It is only appropriate therefore that we collaborate with them in our centennial commissioning project. We are delighted that this project can also involve so many people with connections to the two organizations - Maestro Dutoit, Ms. Juillet, Mr. Danielpour, and Yaddo."

The August 5th concert will be at 8:15 p.m.
Tickets are $13 - $50 and may be purchased through the SPAC box office or Ticketmaster.
For information, call 518/587-3330 or visit www.spac.org.