Garland Symphony Orchestra opens its 2015-2016 season, “Symphonic Treasures,” Oct. 16, 8 p.m., at the Granville Arts Center, 300 N. Fifth St. in Garland with pianist Jan Jiracek performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor.
“Symphonic Treasures” explores masterpieces inspired by visions of riches. From Auber’s Overture to The Crown Diamonds to Lehar’s Gold and Silver Waltz, it promises to be a glittering array of musical treasures. Along the way, the GSO.’s 93 sparkling musicians will bring you music from Shostakovich’s Age of Gold Suite, Wolf-Ferrari’s Jewels of the Madonna, Wagner’s The Rheingold and many more symphonic gems.
Born into a family of musicians, Jiracek was described by BBC Music Magazine as “one of the leading pianists of his generation.” A top prize winner at the Busoni Competition (Italy) and Maria Canals Competition (Spain), Jiracek was of the winners of the Tenth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (USA).
Following his success at the Cliburn Competition, he was invited to join the roster of Community Concerts, resulting in more than 80 performances throughout the U.S. Recent engagements included recitals at the Tilles Center at Long Island University, the University of Vermont Lane Series and Spivey Hall in Atlanta. He also performed with the Washington Chamber Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., the Riverside Symphony at the Lincoln Center in New York and with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra at Bass Performance Hall.
Jiracek has been featured on several European radio and television stations, including ZDF, SFB Berlin, Deutschlandradio, Radio Hilversum, Radio Stockholm, and Radio France and on NDR as a soloist with the NDR Symphony Orchestra.
In 2001, he was appointed professor for piano at the University for Music and Performing Arts Vienna, making him the youngest tenured professor in the history of that school. His students are regular prizewinners at international competitions. Jiracek regularly gives master classes, most recently at the Vienna Musikseminar, Mendelssohn Academy Leipzig and the Academy of Music in Katowice. He is a frequent juror at international piano competitions, e.g. Tchaikovsky for young musicians, London Piano Competition, Lev Vlassenko Competition Brisbane, Lalla Meryem International Piano Competition Rabat, Paderewski Piano Competition, Dong-A Piano Competition Seoul.
Jiracek is the artistic director of the International Beethoven Piano Competition Vienna and Chairman of the Jury of that competition, which is being held every four years and in 2012, Jiracek received an Honorary Professorship of the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China.
In addition to Mr. Jiracek’s solo performances, the GSO will also feature Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 in D Minor, and Jenkins’ Palladio, as well as Auber’s Overture to Les Diamants de la Couronne.
GSO credits its music director, Robert Carter Austin, for its continued outstanding and diverse orchestral programming. Maestro Austin’s background encompasses more than 30 years of professional music experience and includes degrees from MIT, Cambridge University and Stanford University.
Season tickets begin as low as $61.50! Single tickets are priced from $17.50-37.50 and are available by calling 972-205-2790, online at GarlandArtsBoxOffice.com, or at the Granville Arts Center box office Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and on performance night.