Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with Nobuyuki Tsujii

Wisdom of Youth

The electrifying chemistry between Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii is so special that the orchestra named him an honorary member! Nobu, who is blind, shares a deep musical connection with the ensemble that’s built on a decade of listening, trust, and unrivaled artistry. They reunite for a romp through the frisky Piano Concerto No. 2 that made young Beethoven a force to be reckoned with.

A new arrangement augments the chamber orchestra repertoire with a seminal work that signaled the genius of young Brahms, the First Piano Trio. Composer Viet Cuong is a superstar of the millennial generation, and he makes his Orpheus debut in a new work showcasing his signature talent for joyful, invigorating orchestration.

Viet Cuong | New Work
World premiere, commissioned by Orpheus & The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s National Orchestral Institute + Festival at the University of Maryland

Beethoven | Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 19
Nobuyuki Tsujii, piano

Brahms | Chamber Symphony (after Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8)
orchestrated by Michael Stephen Brown, commissioned by Orpheus

Run time: Two hours with intermission

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About the Artists

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is a radical experiment in musical democracy, proving for over fifty years what happens when exceptional artists gather with total trust in each other and faith in the creative process. Orpheus began in 1972 when cellist Julian Fifer assembled a group of New York freelancers in their early twenties to play orchestral repertoire as if it were chamber music. In that age of co-ops and communes, the idealistic Orpheans snubbed the “corporate” path of symphony orchestras and learned how to play, plan, and promote concerts as a true collective, with leadership roles rotating from the very first performance.  Learn more on their website.

Nobuyuki Tsujii
Described by The Observer as the “definition of virtuosity” Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (Nobu), who has been blind from birth, won the joint Gold Medal at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2009 and has gone on to earn an international reputation for the passion and excitement he brings to his live performances. Learn more on his website.