French Music on the CSO Menu this week

Oktoberfest is over and now the Cincinnati Symphony moves on to offer you a program with a different kind of continental flavor, with concerts this week at 11 am Friday, September 22 and 8 pm, September 23 at Music Hall.

William Winstead, CSO Principal Bassoonist, takes center stage for performances of Mozart's dazzling Bassoon Concerto. Two luminous works by Frenchmen Maurice Duruflé and César Franck complete the program.

"William Winstead is a master bassoonist with a beautiful tone and amazing technique," said Paavo Järvi. "He will bring out all the nuances of Mozart’s charming Bassoon Concerto. The Three Dances by Duruflé are lovely, light pieces that are almost never performed, and Franck’s D Minor Symphony is an essential, as well as familiar, staple of the repertoire."

Listen to Paavo's Notes via MP3 here. And read this week's Program Notes before you go.

Audiences are invited to learn more about the music at Classical Conversations with CSO Associate Principal Bassoon Martin James one hour before the performances. Classical Conversations is presented by Joseph-Beth Booksellers.

Principal Bassoonist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra since 1987, William Winstead is also an accomplished soloist, chamber musician, educator and composer. He is professor of bassoon at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a post he has held since 1989.

This program will air via streaming audio for the rest of the world on 90.9 FM, Classical WGUC on Sunday, December 17, at 7:30 pm ET.

Tickets are $18.50-$77 and are available by phone at (513) 381-3300, on the Internet at www.CincinnatiSymphony.org, and in person at:

* CSO Sales Office in Memorial Hall, 1229 Elm Street, next door to Music Hall, Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm.
* Music Hall Box Office 2 hours prior to the performance.
* Half-price ZIPTIX for “A” to “D” seating are available for CSO concerts only in person from 11 am to 2 pm on the day of the concert at the CSO Sales Office. For Friday morning concerts, ZIPTIX are available on Thursday, and for Sunday concerts they may be purchased on Saturday.