Two-time GRAMMY® Award-winning Albany Symphony to present a breathtaking musical journey on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30pm at the historic Palace Theatre. This unforgettable celestial evening will shine with Gustav Holst’s cosmic spectacle, The Planets, featuring the ethereal voices of Albany Pro Musica, and the world premiere of a spellbinding new Violin Concerto, “Ballet du Son,” by the brilliant composer Bobby Ge, performed by 19-year-old virtuoso Keila Wakao. Ge returns to the Albany Symphony after a triumphant debut at the orchestra’s 2025 American Music Festival.
“Holst’s The Planets is one of the most astonishing and beloved works in the repertoire,” said Albany Symphony Music Director David Alan Miller. “From the ferocious energy of ‘Mars’ to the shimmering mysticism of ‘Neptune,’ with Albany Pro Musica’s celestial voices dissolving into infinity, this music lifts us out of the ordinary and carries us into the vast unknown of the cosmos. It is also a great piece to introduce new listeners to orchestral music, because it is such an absolutely overpowering, dazzling orchestral tour-de-force. To pair this monumental work with the electrifying artistry of Bobby Ge and Keila Wakao makes this an evening of pure magic, a program that will energize and inspire our imaginations.”
Holst’s The Planets is a radiant orchestral suite that has enthralled audiences for more than a century with its overwhelming power, vibrant colors, and evocative storytelling. Each movement paints a vivid portrait of a different celestial body: the brutal, unstoppable force of Mars with its pounding rhythms; the jubilant, triumphant brilliance of Jupiter, whose soaring melodies have become anthems of joy and hope; the mysterious, shadowy depths of Saturn that unfold with inexorable majesty; and the ghostly, otherworldly fade of Neptune, where the ethereal voices of Albany Pro Musica will shine. With its immense emotional range, from thunderous grandeur to hushed transcendence, The Planets is one of the most exhilarating orchestral journeys ever composed.
For his brand new Violin Concerto, “Ballet du Son” Bobby Ge imagined the concerto form and its staging as a ballet: the orchestra as dance company, the soloist as principal. The first movement’s title, ‘Manèges,’ literally translates to ‘carousel,’ which in ballet refers to large-scale circular patterns of motion. The music moves in spirals of harmony, tightening and relaxing as the violin leads the orchestra through whirling, sequential progressions. After a relentless cadenza and a brief answer from the orchestra, the piece proceeds into the second movement - ‘Ballon,’ a term that describes the prized lightness and buoyancy of motion that ballet is so famed for. Here, the music is quick, vibrant, and acrobatic, full of dazzling pyrotechnics in the violin and energetic interjections from the orchestra. Finally, after an enormous buildup, the piece culminates in the final movement: a relatively brief coda, entitled ‘Soutenu,’ or ‘sustained.’ The soutenu technique, true to its name, requires dancers to maintain a steady, elevated position even as they turn, and this idea inspired the final, rising melodies of the concerto. The only true slow music of the piece, the chords here are gentle, transparent, and stable, providing a sense of grounding following the rapid changes of the earlier movements. The piece ends with a final series of callbacks and flourishes as the violinist guides the piece to a ringing close.
"Writing a violin concerto has been a dream of mine for as long as I've been a composer. In many ways, I've been unconsciously writing one for the past several years: every orchestral tutti, every violin triple stop, every solo piece I’ve composed has felt like a lead-up to this concerto. It feels doubly special that the orchestra I’ve worked with the most, the courageous Albany Symphony, is the one premiering the work. Between the extraordinary talents of soloist Keila Wakao and conductor David Alan Miller, I’m very grateful that my music will be in the hands of such brilliant, dedicated musicians,” said Ge.
Keila Wakao is already hailed as a rising star on the international stage, dazzling audiences with her fiery brilliance and extraordinary artistry. Currently 19 years old, she began playing the violin at the age of three and has since performed all over the world. A second-year undergraduate student of legendary teacher Miriam Fried at the New England Conservatory, she made her Boston Symphony Orchestra debut at its Opening Night Gala in September 2024 under Andris Nelsons, stunning audiences with her poise and musical maturity. She also appeared at Tanglewood’s Ozawa Hall for the unveiling of Seiji Ozawa’s sculpture, a landmark event attended by Ozawa’s family, John Williams, and other luminaries of the music world. Wakao performs on the magnificent Cremona 1690 Stradivarius violin, generously on loan from the Ryuji Ueno Foundation and Rare Violins in Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative.
“I’m so honored and excited to take on this new experience. It will be my first time premiering a concerto as well as performing with the Albany Symphony. Bobby Ge’s violin concerto is a wild, beautiful journey, and is both challenging and incredibly rewarding to play. I’m looking forward to bringing Bobby’s concerto to life with Maestro Miller and the talented musicians of the Albany Symphony!” said Wakao.
During the November concert cycle, there are three ways to engage more fully with your Albany Symphony. There will be an Open Rehearsal on Friday, November 7 at 7:00pm at the Palace Theatre. Open Rehearsals offer an exclusive opportunity for students and supporters to glimpse behind the scenes how conductor David Alan Miller and the orchestra prepare. Open Rehearsal guests enjoy gathering with other music lovers and hearing directly from Wakao, Ge, and Miller about the collaborative music-making process.
The Albany Symphony's Crescendo Club, a special three-concert series for people who seek a concert experience that goes beyond the concert hall, launches on November 8. Crescendo Club members gather before the concert at 6:00pm at The Culinary Lab for social gathering with complimentary drinks and hearty appetizers. In a fun, multi-disciplinary exploration of Holst’s The Planets, this immersive event includes discussion with a local astronomer and astrologer about the astronomical and astrological meanings of our solar system, before members head to the concert to hear Holst’s cosmic spectacular The Planets. Annual membership for 3 concerts, each with curated pre- or post-concert programming and social gathering, start at $200 per year.
The Albany Symphony’s November concert celebrates the intersection of arts and technology in the Capital Region. Technology Night features the companies and visionaries who make the Capital Region a beacon of innovation. Some of the region’s vital technology and engineering companies have come together to champion the ways that STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) industries make our region an increasingly exciting place to work, collaborate, and innovate. Technology Night supporters receive title sponsorship and are invited to a post-concert networking reception.
An additional note… after 40 impressive years, Principal Cellist and longtime Personnel Manager Susan Debronsky will be honored at this concert. It is hard to imagine the orchestra without her. Reflecting on her departure, Susan shared:
“It was 20 years ago this month that I began my career as personnel manager of the Albany Symphony, a position I held for 17 years. But even farther back, in 1982, just one month after my graduation from the Indiana University School of music, I won two auditions – one for section cello in the Colorado Springs Symphony and the other was for section cello of the Albany Symphony. I’ve often wondered how different my life would have been had I taken the Colorado job. Three years later, in 1985, at the age of 24, I won the audition for principal cello. Now, after sitting in that chair for 40 years, I think it is time to give another cellist the opportunity to lead the cello section of this great orchestra. I have appreciated the tremendous opportunity that I have had with the Albany Symphony and have grown in so many ways throughout my tenure there; over 30 of those years working with David Alan Miller, a musical intellectual and forward – thinker who has brought the symphony to great heights. I will miss working with David and will miss all of my other colleagues, especially those in the cello section, some of whom I’ve played with for decades! With best wishes for a great remainder of the current season and for the future of the Albany Symphony.”
Congratulations to Susan as she will hopefully enjoy much success and good health in Florida. Susan will perform at Glimmerglass this summer, and at the November upcoming concert, where she will take her final bow.
The 2025-2026 season runs from October through the American Music Festival in June. It will include continued free festival programming for Water Music NY: More Voices celebrating the Erie Canal Bicentennial, a Symphony Side-by-Side with the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO), Magic of the Season, Tiny Tots concerts for young people, and much more! Season subscriptions are available and offer flexibility, convenience, and price savings. Through the Nielsen Associates’ Student Access Program, students can purchase discount subscriptions and enjoy the full benefits of being a subscriber for as little as $45. To purchase a subscription or single tickets, visit albanysymphony.com or call the Box Office at 518-694-3300.