Midland Symphony Orchestra Opens 77th Season Bohuslav Rattay, New Music Director

MIDLAND, Mich., Oct. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Midland Symphony Orchestra opened its 77th season under the baton of new Music Director Bohuslav Rattay on October 6, 2012, in the Midland Center for the Arts Auditorium, Midland, Michigan.  Guest artist Ching-Yun Hu, winner of the 2009 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, performed Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2.  Closing the program was Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique."    

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Roger Bryant of the Midland Daily News remarked, "The [opening night] concert was a successful beginning to a new era for the MSO. If Saturday's concert was any indication, the audience is in for an exciting time."

Mr. Rattay was selected last May following a year-long search process.  He was chosen for his ability to grow the orchestra regionally and financially, raise funds, develop audiences and musicians. 

"Rattay was the perfect choice for the orchestra and the organization at this time. With the energy and flare he brings on stage and out in the community, we are lucky to have him on board," remarks Kimberly Dimond, MSO Managing Director. 

"The opening of our season couldn't have started on a better note! The audience was electrified by the quality of the performance. The orchestra is welcoming the musical challenge with Rattay and will only continue to grow."

Currently in his third season as the Artistic Director of the Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra and beginning his first as Music Director of the Midland Symphony, the young Czech conductor Bohuslav Rattay is gaining a reputation as one of the finest young talents of his generation, combining impassioned and virtuosic musicianship with a determination to bring great music into the lives of all people. Mr. Rattay has been acclaimed by critics and audiences alike the world over for his fresh and inspired interpretations of works ranging from perennial concert-hall favorites to the contemporary, with special appreciation often given to his insightful understanding of the music of his native Bohemia. He is renowned for his unique and innovative concert programs, and is a committed educator of the younger generations.

Mr. Rattay holds degrees from the Prague Conservatory, Rice University and the Peabody Institute of Music. He divides his time between the United States and Europe.

The MSO's next concert is November 10:  Mendelssohn Revisited, featuring Michigan-born violinist Caroline Goulding performing Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto.

SOURCE Midland Center for the Arts