Photo by Matthew Washburn
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, whose contract as music director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra is being extended to 2016, is leading the group into a brave and challenging season, featuring a great deal of the music of Michael Daugherty, including his Viva for solo violin to be performed by Salerno-Sonnenberg, Elvis Everywhere for string quartet and tape, Viola Zombie for two violas, Regrets Only for violin, cello, and piano; and Strut for chamber orchestra.
In the November series of concerts, the world premiere of Daugherty’s Fallingwater for Solo Violin and Strings is scheduled, the work exploring the legacy of Tchaikovsky and Anton Arensky; also Elegy by Samuel Jones, marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy.
That's definitely not your sandwiching a new work between warhorses. New Century's other offerings include Josef Suk's Serenade for String Orchestra in E Major, Op.6; Donizetti’s one-act opera Rita, with San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows; a collaboration with Chanticleer; and a debut performance in Stanford’s Bing Hall.
New Century’s third recording is to be released next year on the NSS Music Label, of four violin concertos commissioned and performed by Salerno-Sonnenberg and the orchestra.