Altria Masterworks Tickets

Prepare to witness a series of musical concertos by the Richmond Symphony featuring talented instrumentalists such as Daisuke Yamamoto and Steven Smith. The live events are part of the symphony's 'Altria Masterworks' which is basically a series of concerts aimed at recreating orchestral classics with a contemporary sound. With the help of some of the world's best performers, musicians and instrumentalists, the orchestral institution brings a two-day weekend concert series. The first day's program consists of eight separate concerts while the second concerto includes four performances.

Altria Masterworks series takes place at the Carpenter Theatre located at the Richmond CenterStage. Each concert also provides enthusiasts with the opportunity to meet Richmond Symphony's director, Steven Smith. These meetings also feature conductors as well as guest artists to provide audiences with insights in to what the concerts will recreate.

Currently the series consists of 'Elgar and Sibelius,' 'Bernstein: Chichester Psalms,' 'Beethoven's Ninth Symphony,' 'Nielsen's Fourth Symphony,' 'Sibelius and Liszt,' 'A New Year in Vienna,' 'Manfred Symphony,' 'Beethoven, Mussorgsky and Shostakovich,' 'Copland: Appalachian Spring' and 'Daphnis et Chloe.' These concerts will feature compositions by some of the greatest musicians of all time.

The 'Elgar and Sibelius' series will have Benjamin Broening playing his composition 'Sea Surface Full of Clouds,' Daisuke Yamamoto and Thomas P. Bryan Jr. playing 'Violin Concerto in D Minor' by Sibelius and Elgar's 'Enigma Variations.' The show will be conducted by the talented Steven Smith. The 'Bernstein: Chichester Psalms' series will feature the Richmond Symphony Chorus and Steven Smith together to perform Borodin's 'Prince Igor: Polovtsian,' Bernstein's 'Chichester Psalms' and Prokofiev's 'Symphony No. 5 in B-flat.'

The Richmond Symphony Chorus was formed in 1971 and is now under the leadership of director, Erin R. Freeman and manager Barbara Baker. The chorus's roster consists of fifty two sopranos, forty one alto players, twenty six tenors and thirty three bassists. Its resident organization is under the leadership of Grammy winning composer, conductor and director, Steven Smith, who joined the Richmond Symphony in 2010. Previously Smith has worked with reputable musical institutions such as the Cleveland Orchestra, the Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus and the Cleveland Youth Orchestra.

The Altria Masterworks series will also feature the world famous violinist Daisuke Yamamoto in the 'Elgar and Sibelius' production. One of Daisuke's most famous performances is Mozart's Concerto No. 5 Violin, which he has performed on several occasions in America with the New World Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra and the Spokane Symphony. Apart from being a violinist, he is also a concertmaster. He has led prestigious orchestras at the Youngstown Symphony, the Blossom Festival Orchestra, the Spokane Symphony, the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra and the Adrienne Arsht Center.

Daisuke has also worked with conductors from all over the world, some of which include James Conlon, Michael Tilson Thomas, Jeffrey Tate, Franz Welser Most, David Zinman and Robert Spano. Watch him perform Jean Sibelius' Violin Concert in D Minor, Op. 47 that was composed way back in the year 1904. The performance will include three movements, Allegro moderato in D minor, Adagio di molto in B-flat and Allegro in D major which are created with the help of two oboes, two flutes, four horns, two clarinets, three trombones, two trumpets, strings and timpani including a solo violin performance. Apart from this, the concerto will also feature Edward Elgar's 'Enigma Variations, Op. 36' that he composed back in 1899. This grand masterpiece consists of fourteen variations of different harmonic, melodic and rhythmic elements.

The 'Bernstein: Chichester Psalms' series will feature Leonard Bernstein's composition of 1965 which is in Hebrew. It contains a total of four movements sung by a countertenor or a boy treble. Last but by no means the least, the series features Sergei Prokofiev's 'Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major' composed in 1944. With four movements that comprise of Andate in B-flat major, Allegro marcato, Adagio in F minor and Allegro giocoso in B-flat major, the orchestration is completed with the help of woodwinds, brass, percussions, keyboards and strings.

Some of the most famous classical music gems are now about to take center stage once again as part of a breathtaking event. If you are a fan of classical music, then this is your chance to book Altria Masterworks tickets and watch some of the greatest compositions in history come to life right in front of your eyes.