Azusa Pacific’s Symphony Orchestra Performs U.S. Premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Stockholm Diary

AZUSA, CA (10/07/2008)(readMedia)-- Azusa Pacific University's Symphony Orchestra presents the U.S. premiere of an original piece by world renowned composer Esa-Pekka Salonen. The orchestra, which consists of 50 musicians, will perform Stockholm Diary under the direction of Christopher Russell, who worked closely with Salonen to prepare for conducting this special performance.

The concert takes place Tues., Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Haugh Performing Arts Center at Citrus College in Glendora. Admission is free. In addition to Stockholm Diary, the program also includes Haydn's Symphony No. 82 "Bear" and Symphony No. 1 by Sibelius.

Salonen is the 10th conductor to head the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He is currently in his 17th and final season leading the orchestra. He plans to devote more time to composing.

"Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of the most respected conductors of our time," said Russell. "His career as a composer has won him wide acclaim and, as music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, he has done outstanding work with the orchestra enriching the cultural life of Los Angeles. For us to perform one of his pieces is a humbling event, but for it to be the first United States performance of one of his works makes it all the more special."

Born in Helsinki, Salonen studied at the Sibelius Academy in Finland and made his conducting debut with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1979. He began leading the L.A. Philharmonic in 1984 and was recently appointed Principal Conductor of London's Philharmonia.

"This performance will be a testament to the university's Symphony Orchestra and their talent. One of Salonen's trademarks in his compositions is virtuosity and this piece is no exception. It makes enormous demands on the players, but for all its difficulty, it is not impossible, and that shows what a fine composer Salonen is," said Russell.

For more information, contact the School of Music at (626) 815-3848.

APU's School of Music offers a Bachelor of Arts in Music with emphases in theory, applied music (performance), education, commercial music, and church music; a Bachelor of Music in Performance; and Master of Music degrees in Music Education, Conducting, and Performance.

Featured in TIME magazine and ranked as one of the nation's best by U.S.News & World Report and The Princeton Review, Azusa Pacific is a comprehensive, Christian, evangelical university, committed to God First and known for excellence in higher education. Azusa Pacific's main campus lies just 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley, while its seven Southern California regional centers bring convenience and extend quality programming. The university offers more than 60 areas of undergraduate study, 26 master's degree programs, and 7 doctorates to a total student population of more than 8,100. For more information, call (800) 825-5278 or visit www.apu.edu.

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