Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra launches 2011-212 concert season

Beginning with the stunning one-night-only performance of Itzach Perlman on Sept. 2 and with the most recent performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 1, Titan and Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5, Turkish; Cincinnati's premier performing ensemble, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, has started off its 2011-12 season with a bit of magnificence.

Hailing from Spain, conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos is the CSO's Creative Director for this season's Masterworks Series and will be conducting on two concert weekends including this last weekend's program.

Undeniably one of the most respected and inspiring conductors, Maestro de Burgos created an atmosphere in Music Hall that demanded attention and encouraged a sound from the orchestra that only a real professional could produce.

Maher's Symphony No. 1 was masterfully played by the CSO musicians. Credit is due particularly to the principal bass player, Owen Lee, for his superb playing of the famous solo at the beginning of movement three and to Robert Sullivan, the principal trumpet, for fantastic clarity at the end of the piece.

I would venture to say that this is noteworthy performance for the CSO that should go down in history.

Upcoming for the rest of the season includes many classic pieces such as Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man (originally commissioned for the CSO), Ravel's Bolero, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and many others.

The CSO is currently in search of a new permanent music director after Paavo Járvi (CSO Music Director Laureate) moved to conduct the Orchestre de Paris in France.

As a result, there will be a new conductor every week with the exception of a few to conduct twice.

The next CSO performances will be Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 featuring pieces by Copland, Philip Glass and Rachmaninoff.

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the CSO box office at 513-38-.3300.