Dvorak, Saint-Georges, and Verdi

Wednesday Feb. 17th, 2021

The Bozeman Symphony makes its much-anticipated return to the Willson Auditorium for a free livestream concert, “Dvořák, Saint-Georges, and Verdi,” featuring the immensely talented violinist William Hagen playing Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ Concerto for Violin in A Major. The performance opens with Antonin Dvořák’s painstakingly beautiful Lento from String Quartet No. 12 “American,” and the Symphony concludes with Giuseppe Verdi’s only surviving chamber music work in his catalogue: String Quartet in E minor, arranged for full orchestra.  

 
The Bozeman Symphony is delighted to showcase William Hagen for the second time after his debut at the Symphony’s Ranch Around concert series presented in September 2020. Along with Hagen, the string section of the orchestra will be featured during this diverse performance reimagined from the previously scheduled program announced in the 2020 – 2021 season brochure.  

 
Hagen will dazzle the audience with first known classical composer of African ancestry Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ charmingly upbeat Concerto for Violin in A Major. Saint-Georges, born in 1745, had many masteries beyond composing, as a virtuoso violinist, renowned champion fencer, and leading military man in the French Revolution. Also highlighted in this performance is well-known composer Antonin Dvořák and extremely popular opera composer Giuseppe Verdi, who will bookend the program for a wonderful evening of music from the classical and romantic canon.   

 
The “Dvořák, Saint-Georges, and Verdi,” concert will livestream to the Bozeman Symphony’s website, YouTube and Facebook pages on Saturday, March 6, 2021, at 7:30 PM. The Symphony wishes to thank David Ross and Risi for their season sponsorship along with Drs. Anne and Dennis Wentz for sponsoring this performance. For more information about the free livestream concert, please contact the Bozeman Symphony at (406) 585-9774 or info@bozemansymphony.org. 

 
William Hagen, violin - The riveting 27-year-old American violinist William Hagen was the third-prize winner of the 2015 Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition, one of the highest-ranking Americans ever in the prestigious competition. Already a seasoned international performer who has won friends around the world, William has been hailed as a “brilliant virtuoso…a standout” (The Dallas Morning News) with “an intellectual command of line and score, and just the right amount of power” (violinist.com). William performs on the 1732 ‘Arkwright Lady Rebecca Sylvan’ Stradivarius, on generous loan from the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation.  

Find out more: https://mkiartists.com/artists/william-hagen