2015 Music in the Summer Air (MISA) to Begin on July 4

NEW YORK, July 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sixth Music in the Summer Air (MISA) will open on July 4 and make its debut in the brand new Shanghai Symphony Hall, which opened in Fall 2014.

The new MISA with the theme "Classical+" will feature 22 concerts, music fairs, a "Slow Dancing" special event as well as six outdoor concerts.

Orchestra-in-residence for MISA2015 -- the New York Philharmonic which has a history of more than 170 years, will give four concerts under the batons of the Orchestra's Music Director Alan Gilbert and MISA's joint music director Charles Dutoit together with violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Emanuel Ax.

Gilbert and Bell will perform an all-American concert entitled "A New York Gala" from major compositions like Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" Suite for Violin and Orchestra and Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" Suite to relaxed and fun pieces such as "Lullaby for String Orchestra" by George Gershwin and "The Carousel Waltz" by Richard Rodgers.

Ax, who frequently collaborates with Yo-Yo Ma, will later join the New York Philharmonic conducted by Dutoit on July 5 and Gilbert on 10, making his mainland China debut. He will perform piano concertos by Brahms and Mozart.

The New York Philharmonic will perform a special "Young People's Concert" on July 9, featuring the Asian premiere of two pieces by members of the Philharmonic's "Very Young Composers" program: Liao Shuwen from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Hawa Sakho from Kenya.

Liao's "Shadow of the Wolf" and Sakho's "New York: In Town and Out" were both inspired by their hometowns.

The New York Philharmonic's four concerts this July represent the first of four annual residencies at MISA, part of the Philharmonic's Shanghai Orchestra Academy and Residency Partnership, which also included the creation of the Shanghai Orchestra Academy (SOA), launched in Fall 2014. During the July residency, Philharmonic musicians will participate in activities associated with the SOA, including master classes, lessons and coachings, with some sessions open to the public for free.

A tale of two cities, start from "the Hall"

As a major annual music festival that focuses on classical and crossover music in Shanghai, MISA has been held successfully for the past five years and became a seasonal music attraction blended in the city's cultural life.

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra is bringing MISA to its new home, the Shanghai Symphony Hall, which will transform to an "urban hot spot" with a young and energetic music lifestyle where people can enjoy concerts, shop music fairs, watch micro films as well as swing with Slow Dancing "dancers" and play with interactive digital programs.

The audience can join other music fans at the music fairs and exchange ideas; visitors also have the chance of becoming lead actors in the five MISA micro films.

Every evening from 6 p.m., audiences can go on a scavenger hunt with friends at the music fair while enjoying ice cream or beverages. It's an opportunity to wear T-shirts and jeans in the usually "serious" concert hall in the relaxed summer time.

While reaching for higher artistic achievements, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra now with its own concert hall is ready for the arrival of New York Philharmonic, and has prepared phone cards, bikes, city tour guides and a series of personalized service to give the orchestra a warm welcome.

A carnival for the eyes and ears start with "listening"

2015 MISA is not only having a fresh start at the new hall, but also reaching for a rich experience for the senses by exploring new grounds in the programs and formats.

If the concerts by the New York Philharmonic are already spectacles for the fans, then flamenco guitar master Paco Pena, the Berliner Philharmonic Brass, organist Cameron Carpenter and minimal music pioneer Steve Reich will all be bringing passionate, gentle and groundbreaking music that will wow the audiences.

"Watching" classical music with 3D glasses is a new approach at this year's MISA. The 3D version of Stravinsky's ballet "Rite of Spring" rearranged by Austrian director Klaus Obermaier will be presented on July 7 and 8. Six cameras will capture dancer Sarah Grether's unique dance steps and project to the big screen after processing, which will provide a show for both the eyes and ears.

In addition, two landmark science fiction films, the "2001: A Space Odyssey" by director Stanley Kubrick in 1968 and "The Matrix" by The Wachowskis in 1999, will be presented live with symphony orchestra during MISA.

At the closing concert, two professional table tennis players will become "concert performers" to host the world premiere of the "Ping Pong Concerto" with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra by creating a music instrument like sound with ping pong ball.

A journey of music starts with education

The most direct way to promote art to children is to open the door of the concert hall and let them learn about both the stage and what goes on behind the scenes.

A group of teenagers from age 10 to 16 will get to know how a concert is organized by taking various posts in the concert hall at the Young People's Concert by the New York Philharmonic on July 9.

The "Dream Stage" is for student art groups. In addition to the Shanghai Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Youth Choir and Young Polish Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Youth Chinese Orchestra is also established as a new force representing traditional Chinese music.

MISA's education program, the Shanghai International Youth Music Summer Camp, is another highlight of the music festival and has been organized for the past three years.

The summer music camp is a platform that connects students from around the world and offers various activities and performance opportunities to help realize their music dreams, it's also a stage for Shanghai to show the city's rich culture and art education.

Seven orchestras, including the John Paul College Concert Choir, The John Paul College Silver Strings, Iolani Gms Quintet ('Iolani School) and Shanghai Youth Choir, will join the summer camp this year.

Media Contact:
Janet Tang
+86-138-1811-3737

SOURCE Shanghai Symphony Hall Management Co, Ltd.