The Modesto Symphony Orchestra will kick off their 94th season on Oct. 5 with acclaimed saxophonist Branford Marsalis. The evening’s program includes Marsalis performing Milhaud’s “Scaramouche” and John Williams’ “Escapades” from “Catch Me If You Can.” The program also features Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances” from “Prince Igor” and concludes with Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances.”
“Scaramouche” is a three-movement suite with French and Brazilian-inspired rhythms and themes, taken from incidental music Milhaud composed for two plays: “Molière’s Le Médecin volant” (The Flying Doctor) and Jules Supervielle’s opera, “Bolivar.”
“Our Opening Night concert is propelled by the energy of movement, with two orchestral works inspired by dance: Borodin’s uproarious Polovtsian Dances, as well as the incredible Symphonic Dances by Rachmaninoff,” said MSO Music Director Nicholas Hersh.
"Our featured soloist Branford Marsalis also brings us two spirited, rhythmically-driven works for saxophone and orchestra," Hersh continued. “Branford is a stupendous artist, who brings boundless energy to the music, and we can’t wait to collaborate with him.”
Marsalis is a multi-talented, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist known for his virtuosity and versatility across jazz, classical, and popular music genres including notable performances and tours with Sting and The Grateful Dead.
Hersh was appointed the Music Director of the Modesto Symphony in August 2023.
In the 2023-24 season, Hersh returns to the National, Houston, Baltimore, Colorado, and New Jersey Symphonies, while making debuts with the Springfield Symphony and Wintergreen Festival. Recent engagements include the Detroit, Grand Rapids, New World, North Carolina, Phoenix, Portland (ME), Richmond, Tucson, Utah, and Winston-Salem symphony orchestras, Louisiana and Rochester Philharmonics, and the Florida and Sarasota Orchestras.
Over a remarkable tenure as Associate Conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Hersh created the BSO Pulse series, through which he brought together indie bands and orchestral musicians in unique collaborations; he led the BSO in several subscription weeks, and concerts in and around Baltimore; and he directed the BSO’s educational and family programming, including the celebrated Academy for adult amateur musicians. Hersh also maintains a close relationship with the National Symphony Orchestra, leading concerts throughout Washington, D.C. He stepped in to replace an indisposed Yan Pascal Tortelier, on subscription, to great acclaim.
Hersh is frequently in demand as an arranger and orchestrator, with commissions from orchestras around the globe for adaptations of everything from classical solo and chamber music to popular songs. His orchestration of Beethoven’s “Cello Sonata Op. 69” was premiered by the Philharmonie Zuidnederland in January 2022, while his symphonic arrangement of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” continues to see worldwide success as a viral YouTube hit. He also serves as arranger and editor for the James P. Johnson Orchestra Edition.
An avid educator, Hersh has embraced the Young Persons Concert format as a crucial method for orchestras to serve their communities. From 2016-2020, he served as Artistic Director of the Baltimore Symphony Youth Orchestras, and he continues to be a frequent collaborator and guest faculty at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.
Hersh grew up in Evanston, Illinois and started his musical training as a cellist. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from Stanford University and a Master’s Degree in Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Hersh is also a two-time recipient of the Solti Foundation Career Assistance Award. Hersh lives in Philadelphia with his wife Caitlin and their two cats, and in his free time enjoys baking (and eating) sourdough bread.
The Oct. 5 concert will be held at 7 p.m. at the Gallo Center for the Arts in downtown Modesto. For tickets, visit: https://www.modestosymphony.org/season-calendar/oct24-marsalis
