Jacksonville Symphony to partner with conductor Gemma New for ‘A French Fantasy’

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The Jacksonville Symphony will be joined by conductor Gemma New for “A French Fantasy” on Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. in the Jacoby Symphony Hall at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts in Jacksonville. 

The program will feature familiar classics including Dukas' “The Sorcerer's Apprentice” and Ravel's famous “Boléro.”

Born in New Zealand, New is currently music director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra in Ontario, Canada and resident conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Starting in the 2019-20 season, New has been appointed as the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s principal guest conductor.

In the 2018-19 season, New is enjoying guest engagements with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra; CMI Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio and Santa Fe Pro Musica; the Philharmonic Orchestras of Calgary, Louisiana, New York and Rochester; the Symphony Orchestras of Charlotte, Detroit, Drummondville, Jacksonville, San Diego, Toronto, Tucson, and Winnipeg; the Florida Orchestra; and the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester in Germany.

New was a conducting fellow at Tanglewood Music Center in summer 2018. Previously, she has been Dudamel Conducting Fellow at the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a Conducting Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival, an Ansbacher Fellow at the Salzburger Festspiele and a Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Fellow with the Leipziger Symphonieorchester.

“A French Fantasy” contains multiple works that tell a story; whether it’s the interpretation of poetry and art (Debussy’s “Nocturnes”) or a young apprentice who tries on a magical hat without permission (Dukas’ “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”). The program will also feature the Symphony’s own principal harpist, Kayo Ishimaru-Fleisher in Camille Saint-Saëns’ entrancing “Marceau de concert.” Kayo has been with the Jacksonville Symphony since 1987.

The Jacksonville Symphony is partnering with Riverside Liquors to host a wine tasting before each performance. The tasting will be held during “Insight,” the Symphony’s pre-concert discussion series. Each of the five pieces on the program has been paired with a different wine. The event will begin no later than one hour before each concert. Refer to JaxSymphony.org for updated times and location of the pre-concert wine tasting.

For more information, visit www.JaxSymphony.org.