Boston Symphony Orchestra plus NEC

When Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians are not on stage at Symphony Hall, half of them are across the street at NEC, teaching the next generation of orchestra players. More on this.

These BSO teachers also star in NEC concerts. And we return the favor with a prelude concert series, What I Hear with each program curated by a composer whose commissioned works the BSO performs this season. The NEC concerts immediately precede each composer's Tuesday or Thursday night BSO premiere concert, providing rich, additional context for this music.

You will find links to these along with other NEC concerts that have a BSO connection, plus BSO concerts that feature NEC artists. Whether or not you have a BSO subscription, we hope to enrich your encounters with one of the world's greatest orchestras!

Performances | 2017-2018 Season

2017-09-22 Bernstein: Halil at BSO
BSO/NEC faculty member Elizabeth Rowe is soloist in this flute concerto, part of an all-Bernstein, Opening Night program. Leonard Bernstein, whose centennial is celebrated in 2018, studied at NEC as a teenager living in Brookline.

2017-10-26 Berlioz: The Damnation of Faust at BSO
Soloists include David Kravitz '88 M.M.

2018-01-21 Thomas Adès
During his week as visiting Artistic Partner with the BSO, Adès will also work with NEC students.

2018-02-22 all-Mozart program at BSO
NEC alumnus and former San Francisco Symphony music director Herbert Blomstedt conducts.

2018-03-15 Bernstein: Symphony No. 3, Kaddish at BSO
Leonard Bernstein, whose centennial is celebrated in 2018, studied at NEC as a teenager living in Brookline.

2018-03-22 Bernstein: Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety at BSO
Leonard Bernstein, whose centennial is celebrated in 2018, studied at NEC as a teenager living in Brookline.

2018-04-05 Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Act II at BSO
Cast includes David Kravitz '88 M.M.

2018-05-04 Marcello: Concerto in D Minor for oboe and strings at BSO
BSO/NEC faculty member John Ferrillo is soloist in closing concert of the season.

2016–2017 performances

2016-09-30 Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier at BSO
Cast includes NEC singers Michelle Trainor '04 CE, Neal Ferreira '05 M.M., David Kravitz '88 M.M., and David Cushing.

2016-11-15 Eric Nathan & Timo Andres: Do You Hear What I Hear?
Immediately prior to premiere of Andres's Everything Happens So Much at BSO, NEC students perform works selected by Andres and Eric Nathan, whose the space of a door premieres at BSO the previous week.

2017-11-30 Second chances: Pictures at an Exhibition
Hugh Wolff leads the NEC Philharmonia in Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel orchestration). It's a great opportunity to hear two great orchestras perform this work, which opens the BSO season in concerts beginning September 24.

2017-01-05 Wind/brass concerto spotlights at BSO
Most of the concerto soloists on this program are BSO/NEC faculty members:
Vivaldi: Piccolo Concerto in C with Cynthia Meyers
Krommer: Concerto No. 2 for two clarinets and orchestra
with William R. Hudgins and Michael Wayne
Jolivet: Concertino for trumpet, piano and strings with Thomas Rolfs
Rota: Trombone Concerto with Toby Oft
Schumann: Concert Piece for four horns and orchestra
with James Sommerville, Michael Winter, Rachel Childers, and Jason Snider

2017-02-02 Second chances: Brahms 1
David Loebel leads the NEC Symphony in Brahms's Symphony No. 1. It's a great opportunity to hear two great orchestras perform this work, which is on BSO programs starting November 8 as part of Andris Nelsons's complete Brahms survey this season.

2017-02-16 Schuller: Seven Studies on Themes of Paul Klee at BSO
Andris Nelsons leads the BSO in work by former NEC president Gunther Schuller.

2017-02-23 Sofia Gubaidulina: Do You Hear What I Hear?
Immediately prior to American premiere of Gubaidulina's Triple Concerto for violin, cello, and bayan at BSO, NEC students perform works selected by the composer.

2017-03-08 Second chances: Enigma Variations
Radu Paponiu leads the NEC Symphony in Elgar's Enigma Variations. It's a great opportunity to hear two great orchestras perform this work, which is on BSO programs beginning January 12.

2017-03-10 Busoni: Piano Concerto at BSO
Sakari Oramo conducts the BSO with pianist Kirill Gerstein in work by former NEC faculty member Ferruccio Busoni.

2017-04-02 Boston Symphony Chamber Players community concerts in Dedham and Pittsfield
World premiere of BSO-commissioned Quintet by Nicholas Urie '07, '09 M.M. These concerts featured a quintet of players that included violinist Glen Cherry '95, bassist Benjamin Levy '02, and BSO/NEC faculty member Michael Wayne, clarinet.

2017-04-12 Second chances: Rosenkavalier Suite
Jacob Joyce leads the NEC Symphony in Richard Strauss's Rosenkavalier Suite. It's a great opportunity to hear two great orchestras perform this music, hear at the BSO in performances of the complete opera beginning  September 29.