By Dave Hoger
Jackson Citizen Patroit
Staff Writer
Thursday November 1, 2001

Music, someone once said, calms the savage beast.

It also has been used for centuries to express the feelings -of not only those who write it, but those who play it.

The intimate language of romance is musically translated Saturday night when the Jackson Symphony Orchestra delves into the realm of "Romanticism," the second concert in its 2001-2002 subscription season.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Harold Sheffer Music Hall of the Potter Center on the Jackson Community College campus. Remaining tickets range from $14 to $24. Call 782-3221.

The JSO's popular "Backstage Glimpses" program, free to ticket holders, begins an hour before the concert.

Helping the symphony fan the flames of love will be noted pianist Kimberly Schmidt, making his fourth appearance with the JSO, this time featured on Tchaikovsky's powerful "Piano Concert No. 1."

Also on the program. are works by Mozart, Purcell, Verdi and Hanson.

It seems only fitting that Schmidt, hailed by JSO maestro Stephen Osmond as "a formidable talent" who has worked with "the world's finest conductors and soloists," take the spotlight on Tchaikovsky's concerto, a piece Osmond describes as "classically expressive."

Schmidt, lauded by one critic as a pianist of great sensitivity and almost unbelievably brilliant and powerful bravura," has performed with orchestras all over the world since graduating with highest honors from the Eastman School of Music.

Since his debut in 1972 at Orchestra Hall in Chicago, Schmidt has made a number of recordings, including Berg's "Kammerkonzert " the flute music of Les Six, and his most recent CD, "Women at an Exhibition," a collection of music by female composers featured at the 1893 World's Fair.

Schmidt also is a talented composer, having written the score of the ballet "The Gift of the Magi" and arranging the music for the ballet "Hansel and Gretel . Both were commissioned by Ballet Chicago.

For years, Schmidt also has collaborated with his brother, choreographer Gordon Pierce Schmidt, who is director of the Grand Rapids Ballet.

- Reach reporter Dave Hoger at dhoger@citpat.com or 517-768-4971.
borrowed from Jackson Citizen Patroit
Thursday November 1, 2001  (section D, page 3)

© 2001 Jackson Citizen Patriot.
All rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission