Brett Mitchell, conductor
Jason Shafer, clarinet

DUKAS La Péri, Poème dansé
MOZART Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV Scheherazade, Op. 35

Principal Clarinetist Jason Shafer makes his debut as soloist performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's beloved Clarinet Concerto. This work provides a showcase for the talents of Shafer, who joined the Symphony at the beginning of the 2013/14 season. One of Mozart's last works, it highlights the interplay between the orchestra and the clarinet soloist. The program concludes with Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov's inimitable Scheherazade. The 1888 work is a musical adaptation of "A Thousand and One Nights" (also known as The Arabian Nights), and the Middle Eastern influence is clear as it interprets the tales of Sinbad, the prince and princess, and a Baghdad festival. This fantastic performance is led by Music Director Designate Brett Mitchell, who takes the podium for this weekend of well-known works.