If it’s the start of August, it means the start of the performance season is just around the corner for all of us at the TC Phil!
Coming off the conclusion of our summer series at the Civic Center Amphitheater we are feeling very energized. This summer we once again set new attendance records — which means even more area residents experienced their biggest regional performance institution during the summer months with a wide variety of music produced by the TC Phil.
Speaking of variety, that exactly describes our fall season!
We are following up on last year’s tremendously successful first “cabaret” at our center with an even bigger production this year with more performers in a whole new show. This year I wanted to do a show with laughs, humor and comedy … and nothing else! No teary-eyed ballads, no meaningful soliloquies, just pure fun and a fair amount of silliness. We’re continuing the tradition we set last year of giving it a name, and borrowing from the ubiquitous internet-speak, LOL, it’s called “Laugh Out Loud” with performances at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18-19 at theTraverse City Philharmonic Center – MSUFCU Desk Drawer Foundation Hall. I’ve selected eight singing performers to be involved in the shows with myself at the piano. It’s going to be a blast! I really enjoy doing these types of performances since they were among the first type of things I did as a professional pianist (meaning simply that I earned money for them lol) when I was a kid of 14. The big difference is that back then I was the youngest person directing adults. Now I’m the oldest person in the room of performers.
We follow that up with “A Night in Vegas” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at the City Opera House. We’re going to turn the opera house into a Las Vegas showroom with the TC Phil Pops Orchestra and singers, regional favorite Dominic Fortuna and making her debut with us, Joan Ellison. Joan has a huge career appearing in shows like this and in particular her Judy Garland tribute shows.
Then on Oct. 25 we finally get back to our bread and butter, the music which is the whole reason this organization exists — the music of the great symphonic tradition!
We’re returning to the acknowledged master of symphonic drama and form, Ludwig van Beethoven. We’ll be presenting his energetic and lively 7th Symphony and his epic Piano Concerto No. 5, “The Emperor.” Returning to our stage is award winning pianist, Sean Chen. Audiences will remember his performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in one of our first post-COVID concerts.
From Beethoven to Vegas to Broadway, the first two months of our season offers a wide variety of professional concert experiences produced for and by our community. Complete information about tickets and more at TCPhil.org or 231-947-7120.