What does Steven Jarvi have in store this - Kansas City Symphony ...

As the Kansas City Symphony’s assistant conductor, Steven Jarvi takes on some unusual assignments.
Most people have seen him lead the orchestra at pops concerts or at the family concerts.
However, the more challenging work is with the chamber series, which he initiated.
Steven Jarvi gives a lot of thought to how he puts together programs. You can’t just throw some music
on a program and expect the audience to pay attention. Well, maybe some of the rock and roll radio
stations can get away with that style of programming, but audiences at the Symphony expect better.
Steven Jarvi will lead the orchestra in two series during December. We asked what he was thinking
about as he put the two programs together.
Steven Jarvi Takes the Lead
Kansas City Symphony Alliance: What are the two
programs you are conducting this month?
Steven Jarvi: First, the Kansas City Symphony Chamber
Players which will perform An Old World Holiday on
December 10 & 11. Then, the Symphony’s annual
Christmas program for families which is an all-new
production we’re calling the Symphony’s Christmas
Festival. That will take place on December 17, 18, and 19.
KCSA: Let’s start with An Old World Holiday. What
should we look forward to?
Steven: We’ll take a look at how people celebrated
Christmas with music from the 15th Century all the
way to the present. A German carol, Lo, How a Rose
E’er Blooming will open the program (editor’s note: the
Song of Solomon, 2:1 “I am a Rose of Sharon, a lily of the
valleys” was inspiration for the carol). Then, we’ll move
to the 18th Century with Arcangelo Corelli’s Christmas
Concerto (Concerto Grosso in G minor for strings and
continuo). Then, on to Handel’s Organ Concerto, opus 4.
KCSA: Who will be the organist?
Steven: Jan Kraybill is the principal musician at
the Community of Christ auditorium and temple in
Independence. She is a tremendous and enthusiastic
musician so we look forward to hearing her performance.
KCSA: Then what?
Steven: We’ll move to the 19th Century with some of the
finest music evocative of Christmas. We’ll perform Franz
Liszt’s Angelus which is a lush piece of music, ideally
suited to the venue where we’re performing.
KCSA: Where will that be?
Steven: We will be at Visitation Church, located just
south of the Plaza. Sound swirls around you -- almost like
a warm hug. I enjoy performances there. The sound is
fantastic!
KCSA: Back to the program. What else will be performed
on An Old World Holiday?
Kansas City Symphony Alliance Newsletter
December, 2010 Page 2