Pittsburgh orchestra to play at cathedral
THE VINDICATOR
NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra comes to town Monday for the first of three concerts at Scottish Rite Cathedral this season.
Richard Kaufman will conduct the PSO in a program titled “Mancini at the Movies.” The concert will salute legendary composer Henry Mancini, a native of Western Pennsylvania.
Monica Mancini, daughter of Henry Mancini, will be the vocalist. Themes from “The Pink Panther” and “Peter Gunn,” the playful “Baby Elephant Walk” and music from “Charade,” “The Thorn Birds” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” — including “Moon River” — are on the program.
The PSO, acclaimed as one of the top five symphony orchestras in the world, will return to the Scottish Rite Cathedral on March 8, with former PSO music director Andre Previn conducting.
Previn, a world-renowned composer and pianist, will perform his original composition for the harp, and will feature PSO principal harpist Gretchen Van Hoesen. The Grammy Award winning conductor will also present one of Copland’s most beloved pieces, “Appalachian Spring Suite,” as well as Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 4.”
The season will conclude May 19 with a Las Vegas-theme concert under the baton of conductor Jack Everly. The fast-paced concert will include classics like “Luck Be a Lady,” “Hey Big Spender” and “The Lady is Tramp.”