A Look Back At The BPO in 2024 – Part 2
BPO concert reviews originally published at Media Room September – December 2024
On December 19 The Hive published Part 1 of my 2024 reviews of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, six posts from January to June 2024.
Part 2 features six reviews from September to December 2024, the first half of the 2024-2025 season. The Buffalo Hive launched in July 2024 and all of these reviews were published both at The Buffalo Hive and my publication, Media Room.
As in Part 1, the links below are to the Media Room version.
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Concert Review: The Buffalo Philharmonic Opens Its 90th Season
Joshua Bell and the premiere of ‘City of Light’ brought a capacity audience to its feet
The Buffalo Philharmonic’s September 28 Season Opener was a big event. Tuxedos were worn, important people gave speeches, and Joshua Bell played his fiddle.
Aside from inaugurating its 90th Season, the concert included the premiere of composer Darren Hagen’s “City of Light” which The BPO recently released on its own “Beau Fleuve” label.
In fact, “City of Light” is the third recording the BPO released in the final weeks of 2024, following “Contemporary Landscapes” (Beau Fleuve, 2024 ) and The Golden Age of the Horn,” (Naxos, 2024). Look for my review of all three in January.
You can read my concert review here and see Kirsten Anderson’s photos here.
Concert Review: The BPO’s ‘Gershwin & Resphigi’
Three Pieces From 100 Years Ago And Joyce Yang Breaks In A New Steinway
Gershwin’s Concerto in F Major for Piano and Orchestra is less famous than “I Got Rhythm,” “Summertime,” and “Rhapsody in Blue,” but many regard it as his masterpiece. On October 11, 2024 Joyce Yang gave a spectacular performance on the BPO’s brand new Steinway.
You can read my review here.
Concert Review: ‘A Gospel Symphony Celebration With Lady Tramaine Hawkins’
A Great American Voice Brought Joy To The Faithful
As discussed in my review, a gospel concert is not just a musical performance. It is also a religious ritual that includes the audience in a collective effort to experience God’s presence.
Lady Tremaine Hawkins is a gospel legend and a great American voice. Her October 18, 2024 performance with The BPO was filled with the gospel spirit.
You can read my review here.
Concert Review: ‘Pink Martini’ With The BPO at Kleinhans
Also Caribbean Polyrhythms, Pee-wee’s Playhouse, and American Fascism
Most of my BPO reviews are from the “Classics Series.” There are many reasons for this, including the marshaling of resources and the demands of the editorial calendar, but it is mostly because I prefer them.
That said, the “Pops Series” has a lot of good music and I am trying to find time to review more of them. I started with a good one, Pink Martini’s October 19, 2024 performance with the BPO.
You can read my review here.
Concert Review: The BPO’s 90th Anniversary
November 9, 2024, Kleinhans Music Hall
The BPO turned 90 this year and they performed the same program from November 7, 1935. It was an excellent performance which took place just a few days after the presidential election.
You can read my review here.
On November 22, 2024 Vancouver Symphony Conductor Otto Tausk took the podium with violinist and composer Tim Fain.
The highlight for me was the BPO’s performance of Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony. You can read my review here.
Look for my review of the BPO’s January 17, 2025 performance of Mozart’s Requiem.
Finally, please accept my sincere wishes for a Happy Holiday season. I look forward to 2025.
Frank Housh is a contributing editor of The Buffalo Hive and the publisher of Media Room, an arts and cultural publication that reviews music, film, books, and the visual arts. It is the only publication that offers regular, comprehensive reviews of the Buffalo Philharmonic and the Buffalo AKG Museum of Art.
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