The internationally-renowned artist will take the podium for his first concert as the leader of the orchestra.
Redlands, CA – Months of rumor and speculation were brought to an end on Saturday when the Redlands Symphony announced the appointment of Ransom Wilson as its new Music Director & Conductor. The selection of the charismatic and respected musician was met with thunderous applause at the Symphony’s annual Gala.
“I am so excited to join you as the new Music Director of the Redlands Symphony,” said Wilson. “I have been impressed and deeply moved by this community: a city full of people who care about each other, give freely of themselves, and take pride in their beautiful place. The Redlands Symphony has had a long and successful life in the loving hands of Maestro Jon Robertson, and it is a great honor for me to accept the baton from him.”
Dave Maupin, chair of the Symphony Board of Directors, was unrestrained in his enthusiasm. “We could not be happier to welcome Ransom to Redlands. We are absolutely confident that he will elevate our wonderful orchestra to even greater heights as he takes the podium and shapes our artistic programming for years to come.”
Ransom Wilson’s long and varied career has seen him as an international flute virtuoso and recording artist, celebrated chamber musicians, and now a busy conductor. In addition to his new post as Music Director & Conductor of the Redlands Symphony, he is Artistic Director of New York’s Le Train Bleu ensemble, Music Director of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, and former Music Director of Solisti New York Orchestra, the OK Mozart International Festival, and the Idyllwild Arts Academy Orchestra.
He has appeared as guest conductor with many major orchestras, including the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Denver Symphony, the San Francisco Chamber Symphony, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Krakow Philharmonic, and the London Symphony. Ransom Wilson led a successful tour of Southern California with James Galway and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, and he has accompanied dozens of internationally-renowned artists from the podium, including Itzhak Perlman, André Watts, Frederica von Stade, Joshua Bell, and Hilary Hahn. He has also gained a reputation as an opera conductor, serving on the conducting staff at New York’s Metropolitan Opera and conducting for Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera, and the International Opera Center in Amsterdam.
More than merely gaining a conductor, the Redlands Symphony is also gaining a musician who is recognized worldwide as one of our the finest flutists of our time. Wilson has appeared as flute soloist with the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony. He has released 22 albums as a flute soloist and 11 as a conductor, winning three Grammy nominations along the way.
Though his appointment was only announced Saturday, Mr. Wilson has been hard at work behind the scenes for weeks, collaborating with the Symphony’s management to plan his first season leading the orchestra. The result is a diverse and exciting season featuring many works and artists never before heard in the region.
Wilson will take the podium for the first time as Music Director & Conductor on Saturday, October 8, when he will lead the orchestra in a concert of works by Czech composers. The season begins with the exciting strains of Bedřich Smetana’s overture to The Bartered Bride. The orchestra’s principal oboist, Francisco Castillo, will perform Bohuslav Martinů’s playful oboe concerto. The composer’s Sinfonietta La Jolla and Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8 add further energy to this joyous concert.
On November 5, film composer Mark Isham joins Ransom Wilson before the concert to discuss his music for ABC’s popular series American Crime. In addition to performing excerpts from Isham’s television score, the orchestra will present works by Gershwin, Puccini, and Ernest Bloch.
The Redlands Symphony has long had a special relationship with the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that tradition will continue on January 21 when Wilson, one of the world’s leading interpreters of the composer’s music, leads the orchestra in the overture from The Impresario, the Serenata notturna, Symphony No. 35 “Haffner”, and the Flute Concerto in G, featuring Wilson himself as the soloist.
Ludwig van Beethoven’s powerful Symphony No. 7 is the centerpiece of the next concert, on February 11. Continuing another longstanding tradition, the Redlands Symphony will also present the winner of the University of Redlands’ annual Concerto Competition.
On May 8, the Redlands Symphony and Ransom Wilson collaborate with soprano Mary MacKenzie and stage director Scott Parry in a production of Reinbert de Leeuw’s In the Beautiful Month of May. This cabaret evening uses dozens of songs by Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann to tell a story of passion and romance.
The Redlands Symphony’s season comes to an energetic conclusion on May 13 with a concert featuring music inspired by the beauty of Spain. Excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnole will be performed alongside several pieces by Maurice Ravel, presenting an exciting musical portrait of this vibrant culture. The season ends with the drama and majestic flair of Ravel’s wildly popular Boléro.
Subscriptions for the Redlands Symphony’s 2016-17 season are on sale now and are available by calling 909.748.8018. Subscribers save up to 25% over the single ticket price. For more information, please visit www.RedlandsSymphony.com.