Greenville Symphony Orchestra

[goodbye]

This will be a thread dedicated to our hometown symphony orchestra, which happens to be the best in the state. Everything you know, or just want to share about the GSO can be added here.

EVERYONE set your clocks now: The re-broadcast of the first Greenville Symphony Orchestra Masterworks concert from last month is scheduled to air on SCERN (NPR 90.1fm) Monday, October 9, at 8:00pm. You will hear why I have been touting this orchestra so much. I attended both the Saturday night and Sunday afternoon performances and was equally blown away by both. The GSO is definitely the best symphony orchestra in the state, and performs in the best concert hall in the state. Be sure to listen to the end of the concert, since it gets better as it goes along and finishes with a huge bang.

Quick Facts:

What: GSO's 1st Masterworks concert

Where: 90.1fm SCERN (NPR)

When: Monday, October 9, 2006, at 8:00pm

Carolina Concerts, a series of performances across S.C. on SCERN.

[goodbye]

Bump.

For those who care, don't forget!

[Beowulf]

I would also remind folks about the Greenville Chorale. The Chorale is now based at the Peace Center, and has a concert coming up on October 21. This concert will feature the Chorale, soloists, and members of the Symphony in a perfomance of Mozart's Coronation Mass and Mozart's Requiem. Tickets are available from the Peace Center Box Office.

Should be a good show.

http://www.greenvillechorale.com

[goodbye]

I went to last night's concert at the Peace Center and was once again blown away by the power and magnificence of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra. The work is Dimitri Shostakovich's Symphony #7, written during the German Nazi siege of the Russian city Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Approximately 1 million of the 2.5 million citizens in the city perished during the siege. Two Russian cultural attaches were in Greenville for last night's concert. I highly recommend and encourage you to take time this afternoon to enjoy today's performance at 3:00pm.

[gs3]

I picked the holiday CD by the Greenville Symphony (featuring chorale by the Governors School) and must say, it's an excellent CD. Ended up buying additional CD's as gifts for family and friends. Not sure all the places it's sold, but I know Northampton Wines has them.

[goodbye]

That is a good CD, no question.

If you think they sound good on that one, you should pick up the latest they've produced, featuring the 2004-2005 concert season. They are supposed to release at least one additional CD in January, featuring Russian music from last season (and hopefully the first half of this season). They are a joy to watch perform live.

[goodbye]

Don't forget this weekend the GSO will be performing a concert on Saturday and Sunday.

I have heard that next season (2007-2008), the orchestra is planning to perform Gustav Mahler's 2nd Symphony!!! This is the one piece of music above all others that I had been hoping they would perform! When the season arrives, I'll post more information, but definitely plan ahead to be there for that one. It is simply the most awesome and massive symphonic work of art ever, IMO.

[Spartan]

So what exactly makes the Greenville orchstra "the best" in SC? I hope its more than just your opinion. I have no doubt that they are a talented group- thats not at question. Even at the national scale people are hesitant to rank classical music performers because it is such a subjective thing.

[whitehourseview]

I picked the holiday CD by the Greenville Symphony (featuring chorale by the Governors School) and must say, it's an excellent CD. Ended up buying additional CD's as gifts for family and friends. Not sure all the places it's sold, but I know Northampton Wines has them.

[goodbye]

In answer to Spartan: Being a connoisseur of symphonic performing arts, I would say the overall professional quality sound is what makes the Greenville Symphony Orchestra the best in the state. This can be discovered by listening to 90.1fm every Monday evening. Charleston has a fantastic orchestra as well, but my belief is that Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel has made the greatest positive impact on the GSO, bringing the level of symphonic professionalism to a new standard in this state. The World-class musicians who have performed with the orchestra always say wonderful things about this man, many of them quoting that he is the most knowledgeable musician they have ever met. I can agree completely. Quite a few of the members in the orchestra say that, while overall they may not have the most talent in the nation, the sound quality is simply incredible. I have e-mailed the director of programing at SCERN (NPR) to get someone to update the 'Carolina Concerts' calendar on their website, so hopefully I'll be able to point out which concerts are best to tune in. I've been hoping to hear the Shostakovich Symphony No. 7 performance by the GSO, but it has not been aired yet, despite having been performed last Fall. If you can listen to that one, you'll be highly impressed, I assure you.

Whitehoursview, you can purchase that CD and others by visiting the Peace Center before or after a GSO concert. Since there is another one today at 3:00pm, you can buy one today. If you don't want to attend the concert, you'll still be able to simply walk in and find the table in the lobby where the CDs are being sold. I am not entirely sure how you may buy a CD otherwise, but I have always assumed one could purchase them at the Downtown Symphony Club on Main Street.

[RickC]

The GSO has several important factors driving their current level of excellence. First, Edvard Tchivzhel is an awesome talent. If not for the particular circumstances of his move to the US, a regional orchestra like the GSO would not expect to have a conductor of his skills and maturity.

Second, Greenville is ideally situated to bring in members from nearby areas. Some of the members of the GSO are also members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and many live outside Greenville.

Third, Greenville is justly proud of this orchestra, and there has been a lot of financial support forthcoming from the thriving Upstate area.

[gs3]

The GSO has several important factors driving their current level of excellence. First, Edvard Tchivzhel is an awesome talent. If not for the particular circumstances of his move to the US, a regional orchestra like the GSO would not expect to have a conductor of his skills and maturity.

[whitehourseview]

How was Greenville fortunate enough to secure the talents of Edvard Tchivzhel? I've never known the history.

Welcome to UP, RickC.

[gs3]

Tchivzhel was conductor of the USSR State Symphony that was touring the US on a good will tour about 16 years ago or so. They had a performance in the Peace Center, one of the first events in that facility, and he befriended some Greenville folk. Later in the USSR St. Sym. tour, he slipped away from his KGB handlers and defected and was later able to sneak his family out of his native Baltic region.

He later decided to set up an American home in Greenville, along with conducting the Fort Wayne, IN, orchestra.

He's a fairly accessible guy, so if you ever see him downtown or in the Symphony building, say hello.

[Spartan]

Tchivzhel was conductor of the USSR State Symphony that was touring the US on a good will tour about 16 years ago or so. They had a performance in the Peace Center, one of the first events in that facility, and he befriended some Greenville folk. Later in the USSR St. Sym. tour, he slipped away from his KGB handlers and defected and was later able to sneak his family out of his native Baltic region.

He later decided to set up an American home in Greenville, along with conducting the Fort Wayne, IN, orchestra.

He's a fairly accessible guy, so if you ever see him downtown or in the Symphony building, say hello.

[goodbye]

The Greenville News is reporting Edvard Tchivzhel has resigned his Fort Wayne Philharmonic job (effective June 2008) and will permanently move his family to Greenville very soon. This should help the GSO even more, since he'll have more time to devote to his duties.

[gs3]

The Greenville News is reporting Edvard Tchivzhel has resigned his Fort Wayne Philharmonic job (effective June 2008) and will permanently move his family to Greenville very soon. This should help the GSO even more, since he'll have more time to devote to his duties.

[goodbye]

The Tchivzhel family's new home was already under construction in Greenville when I last posted here.

There will be a CD release party Wednesday, February 28, from 5:30-7:30pm at Horizon Records and The Bohemian Cafe. Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel will be on hand to sign autographs.

[goodbye]

Just a small blurb on GreenvilleOnline.com about the CD release party next week. I hope to be able to attend! As I had previously heard, it will be a double disk set called, "Russian Spectacular."

[goodbye]

Don't forget this weekend the GSO will be performing a concert on Saturday and Sunday.

I have heard that next season (2007-2008), the orchestra is planning to perform Gustav Mahler's 2nd Symphony!!! This is the one piece of music above all others that I had been hoping they would perform! When the season arrives, I'll post more information, but definitely plan ahead to be there for that one. It is simply the most awesome and massive symphonic work of art ever, IMO.

[Greenville]

I have now been to two different symphony performances here in Charleston, and in my opinion they are not as good as what we have in Greenville. The performances were nice, and I enjoyed them, but they are a tier behind the talent and sound we have with the GSO.

[goodbye]

Here is my copy of the CD set just released by the GSO. That is probably the best $15 purchase I've made in quite a while. You may be able to have Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel sign a copy for you, if you stop by the Symphony Center in downtown sometime. I recommend owning a copy in support of our own fabulous symphony and town. The first half of the present concert season was called, "Our Symphony, Our Town." Makes people like me down right proud to live here!

[gs3]

Great info Skyliner. Thanks. Love the way you posted that image too.

[goodbye]

Check out the updated GSO website. It is a great improvement over their previous site and provides a link to purchase CDs plus a new feature video for each concert coming up. If you want to hear Maestro Edvard Tchivzhel speak about the works, now you can. I can't express just how rewarding attending a concert is. You will never regret taking the time to sit in such a world-class venue listening to ageless works performed by professionals representing our wonderful city Greenville.

[goodbye]

I was able to attend the opening concert of the current season this past Saturday evening. Let me just say that it was truly inspirational and invigorating to witness the premiere of two excellent works at the same concert. The first, a World premiere called, "From 0 to 60," was a commissioned piece specifically intended for this concert in honor of the GSO's 60th anniversary. The highly-acclaimed Greenville composer Mark Kilstofte thought about several local factors when writing the score, not excluding the prominence of the auto industry in town. If you would like to hear the concert, the program guide says it will be on the radio Saturday, Oct. 6, at 7:00pm (fm94.5) and on Monday, Oct. 29, at 8:00pm (fm90.1).