Contact: Emily Fromm Phone: (734) 994-4801 Email: [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANN ARBOR SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS: Absolut Russian You won’t want to miss Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet, the Polovtsian Dances, with extra special guests Measure for Measure and the Huron, Pioneer, and Skyline High School Choruses. Experience the romantic melodies, the enchanting stories and the rich history of these pieces. Join us Saturday, March 21, 8:00pm at the historic Michigan Theater as the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra presents Absolut Russian. Why do we love Russian music? Is it the Romantic melodies that every listener can access? The raw emotion that moves us to tears? The way it comforts our unquiet hearts and souls? Whatever your reasons, this concert presents the triumphs, exhilaration, and jubilation that is the epitome of Russian music. Savor Borodin’s Prince Igor, performed as it was originally composed with chorus, and recognize the source for the popular song Stranger in Paradise. Tchaikovsky brings the poignant story of love, wrath, and pride to life in Romeo and Juliet. Surtitles translate Borodin’s Russian text and tell the movement-by-movement story scored by Tchaikovsky. Shostakovich’s tour de force, Symphony No. 10, takes the listener on a journey from cynicism and desolation to joyous heights and exultation. Measure for Measure was founded in 1988 by five University of Michigan Men’s Glee Club alumni, in an effort to provide an opportunity for men to perform music composed and arranged for male chorus. Under the leadership of the founding conductor, Dr. Leonard L. Riccinto, the group debuted in April 1989 with 19 singers. Now in its 25th season, chorus members come from throughout southeast Michigan, ranging in age from 21 to over 80. Measure for Measure’s efforts to promote male choral singing have led to performance throughout Michigan, the United States, Canada, and Europe. This concert marks the 10th appearance of Measure for Measure with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. The Huron High School Choirs have completed six European tours including a 2006 appearance at the Verona Choral Competition, where both the A Cappella Choir and Bel Canto Choirs were awarded the Gold Trophy as the outstanding choir in their category. Huron choirs have been invited to perform for Michigan Statewide Music Conferences for MSVMA and ACDA in 1994, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2011. In 2010, the Huron A Cappella Choir was awarded Second Prize in the High School Division of the prestigious American Prize National Competition. During February 2015 the Huron A Cappella and Bel Canto Choirs embarked upon another European Tour to Berlin and Prague. The Ann Arbor Pioneer High School A Cappella Choir is an auditioned mixed choir, one of four curricular and seven extra-curricular choral ensembles at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School, the 2011 National GRAMMY® Signature School. The A Cappella Choir has performed at the American Choral Directors Association Central Division Convention (2014), American Choral Directors Association Michigan State Convention (2014), Michigan Music Conference (2013), Contact: Emily Fromm Phone: (734) 994-4801 Email: [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE and Michigan Youth Arts Festival (2012, 2013, 2014). In 2014, they were selected as an Outstanding Choir and featured at the Gala Concert of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival. The A Cappella Choir has collaborated with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra on several occasions, including performances of Mozart’s Requiem, Orff’s Carmina Burana, and Holiday Pops concerts. A Cappella Mixed Choir is Skyline High Schools select SATB choir consisting of 45 members in grades 10, 11, and 12. Bel Canto Women’s Choir is Skyline’s select SSAA choir consisting of 30 members in grades 10, 11, and 12. Both choirs were founded in 2009 and are directed by Lindsay CieChanski. Skyline’s advanced choirs strive to explore wide varieties of genres of choral music and consistently earn Excellent and Superior ratings at MSVMA Choral Festival at the advanced level. Recently, Mrs. CieChanski and Bel Canto Women’s Chorus, the advanced women’s choir, were honored to perform at the Choral Hour of the Michigan Music Conference. A Cappella has been featured in the Ann Arbor Symphony’s performance of Carmina Burana and the 2013 Holdiay Pops Concert and recently performed in the World Premiere of Rejoice, a new Christmas work by Stuart Scott. In February of 2012, Skyline Choirs toured Italy and performed at Santa Maria Maggiore, All Saints Church, and in a mass at St. Peter’s Basillica of the Vatican. This year, Skyline choirs will travel to Ireland to perform at the Galway Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church, and County Wicklow. Each year, Mrs. CieChanski, alongside other Skyline Music staff, runs a weeklong overnight camp, held at Interlochen, for all Skyline Choir students. Experience this special night at the Michigan Theater with your Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. Tickets are available online at a2so.com, by emailing [email protected], or by calling (734) 994-4801. Single tickets range from $15 to $62, subscriptions start at just $60; Student, Senior, and Group discounts are available. ### 2 The A SO is a premier regional orchestra offering live symphonic music to over 80,000 patrons of all ages in venues ranging from the historic Michigan Theater and Hill Auditorium as well as schools, daycares, libraries, farmers markets, and various senior citizen centers in the five-county area. For tickets visit a2so.com, email [email protected] or call (764)994-4801. Single tickets range from $15 to $62, subscriptions start at just $60; Student, Senior, and Group discounts are available.