University Musical Society (Ann Arbor) and The Philadelphia Orchestra Announce Creative Partnership

ANN ARBOR, MI (May 6, 2021) – The University Musical Society announces a new, multi-faceted creative partnership with The Philadelphia Orchestra for the 2021-22 season, reigniting and capitalizing on its long history with the ensemble, which served as the residency orchestra for the May Festival for 49 years, from 1936-1984.

As part of its 2021/22 season, which will be formally announced on May 13, UMS will present The Philadelphia Orchestra in an orchestral residency next March, which will feature two live concerts in Hill Auditorium, a digital concert, and a series of master classes and student engagement events with the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

Additionally, the two organizations are collaborating on a new semi-staged theatrical concert performance of Fiddler on the Roof, featuring the world premiere live performances of John Williams’s Academy Award-winning 1971 adaptation of the beloved musical score by composer Jerry Bock. The production, which will feature both Broadway stars and students from the University of Michigan’s celebrated Department of Musical Theatre, will begin in Ann Arbor in February with the Grand Rapids Symphony and then transfer to The Philadelphia Orchestra’s subscription series at the Kimmel Center. Though set against the backdrop of Imperial Russian aggression toward Jewish populations in 1905, the story of Fiddler on the Roof retains its relevance in examining modern international human rights. The duality of tradition and individual choice threaten to tear apart a family facing a common enemy in the Russian pogroms. This production, made even more vivid by John Williams’s technicolor orchestrations, will bring this beloved musical into a new and contemporary light.

"As we return to live performance after more than a year, we’re both excited and immensely proud to be announcing the next steps in our ongoing relationship with The Philadelphia Orchestra," said UMS President Matthew VanBesien. "Three years ago, the Philadelphians and Yannick Nézet-Séguin performed an absolutely riveting concert in Hill Auditorium, which immediately catalyzed discussions about how our two organizations could continue to work together. We’re truly honored that these projects will dynamically incorporate the fabulous musicians of the orchestra, music director Yannick Nezet-Seguin, and newly appointed principal guest conductor Nathalie Stutzmann, and we’re especially pleased that both of these projects will provide unique and impactful opportunities for students at the U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance at the University of Michigan."

"The Philadelphia Orchestra has enjoyed a rich history with the University Musical Society, first performing in Hill Auditorium in 1913 and serving as the orchestra-in-residence for the Ann Arbor May Festival for nearly 50 years," said Philadelphia Orchestra President and CEO Matías Tarnopolsky. "We look forward to building on this legacy with an inspiring, new partnership that showcases the depth and artistry of Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Principal Guest Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann, and the musicians of the Orchestra, as well as our ongoing commitment to music education. Additionally, we are delighted to collaborate with Broadway stars and students from the University of Michigan’s Department of Musical Theatre to bring the story of Fiddler on the Roof into a contemporary light, with world premiere performances of John Williams’s adapted orchestral score. As we return to in-person concerts and domestic tours, there is much to celebrate, and we are very happy to return to Ann Arbor."

The production of Fiddler on the Roof In Concert will be presented in Ann Arbor with the Grand Rapids Symphony February 19-20, 2022 before traveling to The Philadelphia Orchestra two weeks later.

One week after the Philadelphia performances, the Orchestra comes to Ann Arbor on March 11-12, 2022 for a combined live-digital-educational residency. On Friday  March 11, Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts a program featuring U-M alumna and Principal Tuba Carol Jantsch in Wynton Marsalis’s new Tuba Concerto, which will have its world premiere in December, and Johannes Brahms’s Symphony No. 1.

On Saturday, Principal Guest Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann leads the orchestra in Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 (with concertmaster David Kim as soloist), Missy Mazzoli’s Sinfonia (for Orbiting Spheres), and Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9.

Members of the orchestra will participate in a series of master classes and educational opportunities for U-M students during the day on Saturday.

In addition to the live in-person activities, bass-baritone Davóne Tines will perform a suite of arias by John Adams ("Shake the Heavens" from El Niño) and Anthony Davis (Malcolm’s Aria from X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X), as well as a work that he co-wrote with Igee Dieudonné in memory of Breonna Taylor, in a digital program released during the winter.

Season tickets for UMS’s 2021/22 season will go on sale on Monday, May 17, with tickets to individual performances available after Labor Day in September.

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ABOUT UMS
A recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts, UMS (also known as the University Musical Society) contributes to a vibrant cultural community by connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is an independent non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Michigan. During the coronavirus pandemic, UMS has continued to connect audiences and artists through digital presentations, educational events, and a robust Digital Artist Residency series, giving audiences a window into the creative process through six different projects by Wendell Pierce, Tarek Yamani and the Spektral Quartet, Tunde Olaniran, Cleo Parker Robinson, Brian Lobel and Gweneth Ann Rand, and Joyce DiDonato. All digital presentations are being presented free-of-charge to enable access to audiences everywhere, supporting UMS’s commitment to bold artistic leadership, engaged learning through the arts, and access and inclusiveness. Matthew VanBesien became the organization’s seventh president in July 2017.