Back to Press Release List > 12/23/2009 - Manfred Honeck Leads Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 February 9 at 8:00 PM

On Tuesday, February 9 at 8:00 p.m., the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) returns to Carnegie Hall for its first New York appearance under the direction of its new Music Director Manfred Honeck. Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter joins the orchestra in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage for Brahms’s Violin Concerto in D Major. Also on the program is Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D Major, “Titan,” the work that Maestro Honeck led in Pittsburgh at his first subscription concerts as Music Director of the orchestra in September 2008. The PSO last appeared at Carnegie Hall in 2006.

Manfred Honeck was appointed the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s ninth music director in January 2007, after several highly successful guest appearances with the orchestra. He launched his tenure at the start of the 2008–2009 season, conducting a performance of Mahler’s First Symphony that Andrew Druckenbrod of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called an “electric and provoking interpretation.” This performance was recorded and released on the Exton label.

Artist Information
For over three decades, Anne-Sophie Mutter has been one of the most acclaimed violin virtuosos of our time. Since her Lucerne Festival debut in 1976 and Salzburg debut with Herbert von Karajan in 1977, she has performed concerts in all the major music centers of Europe, North and South America, and Asia. In addition to performing established repertoire, she has continually treated her audiences to new and innovative works, both in chamber music and orchestral settings. Ms. Mutter also uses her popularity and renown for the benefit of numerous charity projects and supports thedevelopment of young, exceptionally talented musicians. Her recent Deutsche Grammophon recordings—The Mozart Project (all of Mozart's major compositions for violin in celebration of the composer’s 250th birthday with the with the London Philharmonic Orchestra), a Mendelssohn CD (Violin Sonata in F, Piano Trio in D minor, and Violin Concerto in E minor celebrating the composer’s 200th birthday with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig) and Gubaidulina's Violin Concerto In tempus praesens coupled with Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor and E major—demonstrate her profound interest in celebrating composers past and present. Her earlier projects of the complete Beethoven and Brahms sonatas, alongside her premieres of works by Sebastian Currier, Henri Dutilleux, Sofia Gubaidulina, Witold Lutoslawski, Norbert Moret, Krzysztof Penderecki, Sir André Previn, and Wolfgang Rihm present a picture of an artist still perfecting and exploring repertoire more than 30 years after her debut.

In January 2007, after several highly successful guest appearances leading the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck was appointed its ninth Music Director, and began this position at the start of the 2008–2009 Season. In addition to his appointment in Pittsburgh, Honeck was Music Director of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra from 2000 to 2006, and in 2007, assumed the post as Music Director of the Staatsoper Stuttgart. Beginning in September 2008, Maestro Honeck became the Principal Guest Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague. In 1996, Mr. Honeck began a three-year stint as one of three main conductors of the MDR Symphony Orchestra Leipzig, and in 1997, he served as Music Director at the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo for a year. A highly successful tour of Europe with the Oslo Philharmonic marked the beginning of a close collaboration with this orchestra, which consequently appointed him Principal Guest Conductor, a post he held from 1998–2004. Manfred Honeck was born in Austria and studied music at the Academy of Music in Vienna. An accomplished violinist and violist, Mr. Honeck spent more than 10 years as a member of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra. It is his experience as an orchestra musician that heavily influenced his conducting and helped give it a distinctive stamp. Mr. Honeck commenced his conducting career as assistant to Claudio Abbado at the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra in Vienna. Subsequently, he was engaged by the Zurich Opera House from 1991–1996, where he was bestowed the prestigious European Conductor’s Award in 1993.

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has been a vital part of the City of Pittsburgh’s heritage for more than 100 years. With its noble history of the finest conductors and musicians and its strong commitment to artistic quality and excellence, audiences around the world have claimed the PSO as their orchestra of choice. In September 2008, the PSO welcomed its ninth Music Director Manfred Honeck. Beginning in the early 1900s with frequent performances in Canada, the PSO confirmed its ranking as a world-class orchestra, earning critical acclaim for each tour abroad. Its 34 international tours include 18 European tours, eight trips to the Far East and two to South America. In January 2004, the PSO became the first American orchestra to perform at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II, as part of the Pontiff’s Silver Jubilee celebration.

Program Information
Tuesday, February 9 at 8:00 p.m.
Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage
PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Manfred Honeck, Music Director and Conductor
Anne-Sophie Mutter, Violin

JOHANNES BRAHMS Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77
GUSTAV MAHLER Symphony No. 1 in D Major, "Titan"

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