Get ready for a fantastic opening night as we present the lush and romantic sounds of Berlioz’s “Symphony Fantastique” along with a rhythmic world premiere created by Uruguayan composer Miguel del Aguila that features oboe and clarinet solos from the Phil’s very own mother and son tandem, Nancy Ambrose King and Ryan King.
Featuring:
Overture No. 1 in E minor (1842) Louise Farrenc
Concierto con Brio (2022) (World Premiere)
Miguel del Águila (soloists – Nancy Ambrose King & Ryan King)
Symphony Fantastique Op. 14 (1830) Hector Berlioz
Miguel del Águila – Composer
Three-time Grammy nominated American composer Miguel del Águila was born in Uruguay. In over 135 works that combine drama, driving rhythms and nostalgic nods to his South American roots, he has established himself among the most distinctive and highly regarded composers of his generation.
His music, which enjoys over 200 performances yearly, has been hailed as “brilliant and witty” (New York Times), “sonically dazzling” (LA Times) and “expressive and dramatic” (American Record Guide).
He was 2021 composer in residence with Danish Chamber Players/Ensemble Storstrøm, after residences with Orchestra of the Americas, New Mexico Symph, Fresh Ink, CTSummerfest, Talis, and Chautauqua.
Aguila was honored with three Latin Grammy nominations, Kennedy Center Friedheim Award, New Music USA/Music Alive, Magnum Opus Award, Lancaster Symphony Composer of the Year, and Copland Foundation among others.
A sought after guest lecturer, Aguila also serves on Barlow Endowment’s Board of Advisors. He’s published by Peermusic, Presser and self-published.
After graduating from San Francisco Conservatory he studied at Vienna’s Universität für Musik un Darstellende Kunst. Early premieres in Musikverein and Konzerthaus were followed by Carnegie Recital Hall and Lukas Foss/Brooklyn Philharmonic concerts. Soon after LA Times praised him as “one of the West Coast’s most promising young composers.”
Miguel del Águila, composer
Nancy Ambrose King, Oboe
Nancy Ambrose King, oboe, is the first-prize winner of the Third New York International Competition for Solo Oboists, held in 1995. She has appeared as soloist throughout the United States and abroad, including performances with the St. Petersburg, Russia, Philharmonic, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonic, Tokyo Chamber Orchestra, Puerto Rico Symphony, Orchestra of the Swan in Birmingham, England, Festival Internacionale de Musica in Buenos Aires, New York String Orchestra, Amarillo Symphony, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, and Sinfonia da Camera.
She performed the North American premiere of Nigel Westlake’s “Spirit of the Wild” concerto with the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, has performed as recitalist in Weill Recital Hall and as soloist at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. She has recorded eleven CDs of works for the oboe on the Boston, Cala, Equilibrium, Naxos and Centaur Record labels.
She can also be heard performing on the Athena, Arabesque, and CBS Masterworks labels, as well as the Grammy-nominated recording of ‘Sila’ by John Luther Adams on Canteloupe Records. She was a finalist in the Fernand Gillet Oboe Competition held in Graz, Austria, and was a member of the jury for the esteemed 2009 Barbirolli and the 2016 Muri, Switzerland Oboe Competitions.
Currently professor of Oboe at the University of Michigan, she was elected as the first female President of the International Double Reed Society. She is on the faculty of the Sarasota and Round Top Music Festivals, as well as the Michigan City Chamber Music Festivals during the summer.
King received her doctor of musical arts, master of music, and performer’s certificate from the Eastman School of Music, studying with Richard Killmer. A graduate of the University of Michigan with a bachelor of music degree where she studied with Arno Mariotti and Harry Sargous, King was the recipient of the school’s prestigious Stanley Medal, and was honored with the 2010 Hall of Fame Award and the 2018 Harold Haugh Teaching Award by the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre and Dance.
Ryan King, Clarinet
Ryan J. King is a Michigan-based professional clarinetist and teacher, who is principal clarinet of the Michigan Philharmonic. He holds a bachelor of music in clarinet performance from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, where he studied with Daniel Gilbert.
King has performed and recorded with many notable ensembles, such as the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, the River Raisin Ragtime Revue, the Dearborn Symphony, and the Cut-Time Players. He attended the Aspen Summer Music Festival, Brevard Music Festival, and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival in New York City.
He performed as principal clarinetist on the Grammy award nominated recording of Milhaud’s opera L’Orestie d’Eschyle with the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra and on the premiere recording of Alyssa Morris’ ‘Dreamscape’, featured on Equilibrium Records’ “IllumiNation” with the Ann Arbor Camerata Orchestra.
King performs each summer at the Michigan City Chamber Music Festival, where he has been featured as soloist. He performed the World Premiere of Miguel del Aguila’s ‘Concierto Con Brio,’ commissioned by and written for him and Nancy Ambrose King, in both its chamber and orchestral versions. King’s students have gone on to study at the country’s leading music schools in college, and consistently place in Michigan All-State ensembles. In addition to his classical performance, he has a strong presence in the Michigan rock scene. As a founding member of progressive jam band Stormy Chromer, King has spent years touring the US with the group.
Beyond his passion for music, he enjoys spending his time hiking and traveling, and is working towards visiting all of America’s National Parks.