BSO Family Concert Brings Live Illustration, Narration and Orchestration to Babar the Elephant, April 21

Posted on May 11, 2012 by AmateurPianists No Comments

Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) March 26, 2012

In a concert including live illus­tra­tions and narration, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra invites families to expe­rience French author Jean de Brun­hoffs Babar the Elephant in a whole new way on Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. As part of BSOs Family Concert series, this concert will feature the talents of conductor Cristian Macelaru, award-winning cartoonist Angie Jordan and beloved narrator Rheda Becker. While Ms. Jordan illus­trates the story live onstage, the BSO will perform lively, light­hearted music by French composer Francis Poulenc. Orchestral instru­ments will reveal the many different char­acters found in Babars journeys as he strives to do what is best for every creature in the animal kingdom. Children age five and up are welcome to attend. Please see below for complete program details.

Cristian Macelaru, conductor

Cristian Macelaru has estab­lished an exciting and highly regarded presence through his thoughtful inter­pre­ta­tions, poise and ener­getic conviction on the podium. He began his work with the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 2010–2011 season and was then named Assistant Conductor last fall. This season, Mr. Macelaru also conducts the Baltimore, Houston and Chicago Symphony Orchestras.

During the 2010-11 season, Mr. Macelaru made his debut conducting the Houston Grand Opera in perfor­mances of Madama Butterfly. Previous seasons have also seen him with the Pitts­burgh and San Diego Symphony Orchestras, Banatul Phil­har­monic, DaCamera of Houston, Syzygy ensemble, Oberlin Orchestra and at the Sarasota Music Festival. With a passion for diverse reper­toire, Mr. Macelaru led the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in the US premiere of Colin Matthews Turning Point in 2010, as part of the Tanglewood Contem­porary Music Festival.

An accom­plished violinist from an early age, Mr. Macelaru was the youngest concert­master in the history of the Miami Symphony Orchestra. He also played in the first violin section of the Houston Symphony for two seasons. Formerly, he held the position of Resident Conductor at Rice Univer­sitys Shepherd School of Music, where he was Music Director of the Campanile Orchestra, Assistant Conductor to Larry Rachleff and Conductor for the Opera Department.

Mr. Macelaru has partic­i­pated in the pres­ti­gious conducting programs of the Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival, and completed his main studies at Rice University under the tutelage of Larry Rachleff.

Rheda Becker, narrator

Rheda Becker made her debut in 1974 with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and has since appeared with the Orchestra frequently as narrator in works by Britten, Mendelssohn, Poulenc, Prokofiev, Schoenberg, Schuller, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky. In addition to guest perfor­mances with symphony orchestras throughout the United States, including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Phil­har­monic, Ms. Becker has performed with chamber ensembles at Carnegie Halls Weill Hall, Bostons Gardner Museum, the Library of Congress and the Folger Library in Wash­ington, D.C. She was the narrator in world premieres by the composers Ernst Krenek, Earl Kim, Robert Hall Lewis and Jonathan Holland.

She has been a frequent guest soloist at the Peabody Conser­vatory of Music. Perfor­mances have included the role of Joan in Honeggers Joan of Arc at the Stake, Waltons Fa