Bridgeport, CT - The Greater Bridgeport Symphony will kick off their rousing 77th season with the appropriately titled, Turn, Turn, Turn, as they will say goodbye (for now) to beloved music director / conductor Eric Jacobsen who will be stepping down from his role in April 2023. Before he goes though, Jacobsen will conduct the first (and last) concert of the 77th season beginning September 10, 2022 with Jacobsen’s Ninth, honoring the beginning of his ninth season as Music Director. The show will feature Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 8” and will be joined by the exciting young pianist Ying Li, who will solo onRachmaninoff’s 4th Piano Concerto. Rounding out the evening’s music will be the overture from “die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss Jr. Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 8” has been called his happiest and most optimistic; combining this with the passion of the Rachmaninoff and the exuberance of “die Fledermaus”, GBS will open its season with great joy.
But in between the first and last concerts of the season, the audience will be treated to a showcase of conducting talent, as contenders, vetted by Jacobsen, will vie for the position of Music Director. As Turn, Turn, Turn continues, each guest conductor will have a “turn” working with the orchestra and conducting for the home audience. The First Turn onNovember 12, 2022 will showcase conductor / pianist Benjamin Hochman who will play Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto No. 1” while conducting. The concert will also present a modern piece and conclude with Schumann’s uplifting “Symphony No. 2.” December 17, 2022 will see the Second Turn with conductor Chelsea Gallo – a night of Tchaikovsky’s best. She will lead the concert with beloved excerpts from The Nutcracker Suite then move through an emotional journey from fate to triumph with Tchaikovsky’s “Fifth Symphony” – and there will be plenty of holiday cheer, too. The Third Turn on March 18, 2023will bring a familiar face to the podium with Chelsea Tipton II, who has conducted two popular outdoor concerts for GBS during the pandemic months. Tipton, known locally as pops conductor for the New Haven Symphony, will conduct theDvořák’s “Cello Concerto” with soloist Sterling Elliott, and close with Beethoven’s powerful “Seventh Symphony.” A fourth candidate, Eduardo Leandro, who will not conduct a show this season, has already conducted for GBS. He led the orchestra in Beethoven’s 5th Symphony last November to rousing reviews.
Jacobsen’s final and closing show of the season will be on April 8, 2023. GBS will wish Godspeed, Eric Jacobsen! as heconducts Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances,” plus a concerto yet to be determined, which he promises will be “very special.” The night will be a tribute to Jacobsen and a poignant moment for GBS as Jacobsen bids farewell. And if all goes as planned, Jacobsen will be announcing his successor at this concert. While saying “so long” to a great leader and good friend, GBS will also be saying hello to a new face for its future.
GBS also has a surprise concert in store for May 2023. Details will be announced in early spring.
“Eric’s leaving is a bittersweet moment for GBS,” says Executive Director Mark Halstead. “He’s given us so much these past eight years, and the audience loves him. The world is calling, though – and how long can you hold on to the tail of a comet?” GBS musicians have expressed their gratitude that Jacobsen has remained with Bridgeport so long; as one said, “With this level of talent and musicianship, he is in demand everywhere. We’ve been lucky to have him for so long.”
Jacobsen himself has promised to return for guest conducting spots in the future. “So much of my life has been in Bridgeport. Between working with students in local schools, and making music with the incredible musicians of GBS, I’ve really felt at home here.”
GBS musicians and the audience will participate in the process of choosing Jacobsen’s successor through surveys and focus groups at the end of each show.
Subscription seats for the five live concerts are on sale now at a substantial discount. The five-concert subscriptions range from $85.00 to $255.00 per seat, representing a savings of up to 25% over single ticket purchases. Individual concert tickets range from $18.00 to $65.00. Tickets are on sale at www.GBS.org or by calling (203)576-0263.