NEC Symphony + Paul Biss: Zwilich, Rachmaninoff, Dvořák

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich | Jubilation (1996)

Program note

Jubilation was commissioned by the University of Georgia for the occasion of the opening of the Performing and Visual Arts Center at the University of Georgia. The commissioning of new music to inaugurate a new edifice is an ancient and, for me, a very meaningful tradition. One easily imagines other Athenians of another time and place marking the opening of their Parthenon with music celebrating the occasion. Certainly, buildings from the Cathedral in Florence, Italy, to our own Carnegie Hall began their public lives with special music filling the new spaces. So I considered it a great honor as well as a great pleasure to play the privileged role of writing music for the opening of this new Performing and Visual Arts Center at the University of Georgia in Athens. But concert halls exist for the music that draws us together in a community of performers and listeners, and therefore Jubilation celebrates the opening of the new concert hall by celebrating the orchestra. Though short, the piece is almost a concerto for orchestra, emphasizing its vibrant colors and contrasts, the virtuosity of its players, and the orchestra's almost unparalleled ability to give voice to musical drama.
-Ellen Taaffe Zwilich

Sergei Rachmaninoff | Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, op. 18

Moderato
Adagio sostenuto - Più animato - Tempo I
Allegro scherzando

Seongwoo Moon

Born in Korea, Seongwoo Moon began his musical studies at the age of five and made his orchestral debut when he was twelve, performing the Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Pohang Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently, he was the winner of the New England Conservatory Concerto Competition (2023), the Taipei International Maestro Piano Festival's Promising Star Competition (2020), and third prize at the Hilton Head International Piano Competition (2022). He was the second prize-winner at the Singapore Youth International Piano Competition (2019) and a semi-finalist at the Seoul International Music Competition (2021). 
        In addition to numerous recitals and concerts in Seoul, Seongwoo has appeared at many professional venues including Lotte Concert Hall, Kumho Art Hall Yonsei, Sejong Arts Center Chamber Hall, Seongnam Art Center, Youngsan Art Hall, and The House Concert. He has also performed in Korea with leading orchestras such as Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra, Gyeongbuk Philharmonic Orchestra, New World Philharmonic Orchestra, Seocho Philharmonic Orchestra, and SNUtuosi ensemble.Seongwoo has participated in master classes with Robert McDonald, Julian Martin, Boris Slutsky, Philip Jenkins, Pascal Roge, Rudolf Meister, Nelson Delle-Vigne Fabbri, and Soojung Shin
        Seongwoo is currently pursuing the Master of Music degree at New England Conservatory under the tutelage of MinSoo Sohn. He studied previously at Seoul Arts High School with Seunghye Choi, and with Heesung Joo at the Seoul National University, receiving a scholarship from the Samick Cultural Foundation and the Oh Jung-Joo Scholarship awarded to a gifted pianist at the Seoul National University.

INTERMISSION

Antonín Dvořák | Symphony No. 8 in G Major, op. 88

Allegro con brio
Adagio
Allegretto grazioso - Molto vivace
Allegro ma non troppo

NEC Symphony