Glacier Symphony presents its MasterWorks Concert ‘Enigma’

The 39th season of the Glacier Symphony and Chorale continues its celebration of the 25th anniversary of the leadership of Maestro John Zoltek as music director and conductor with a world-premiere performance of a piece for piano and orchestra by contemporary composer, Matthew Mason. Paganini’s “Rhapsody on a Theme” will be performed by Los Angeles-based concert pianist Roger Wright. Titled “Enigma,” MasterWorks Concert4 will take place Feb. 19 and 20.

“Although this piece is based entirely on the same theme that was used by Rachmaninoff in his 1930s composition on the same theme, the pieces could not be more different,” Zoltek said. “The first time I heard it I was electrified by the driving rhythms and energy that Mason has employed in exploring Paganini’s theme. This piece has a unique twist on that melody we all know. It is a very demanding work for both the orchestra and soloist I know the audience will thoroughly enjoy.”

A Texas native, Mason is an award-winning composer and pianist whose works combine high craft, rich harmony and memorable melody with an accessible and exciting rhythmic vitality. He studied piano performance at both the University of Houston and the University of Southern California. He began writing music at the age of 11. Mason has had works commissioned by festivals and piano competitions and has also been active in the commercial composition world. He has received three Telly awards for his commercial compositions, including the 2012 award for his original compositions created for a series of short films detailing the humanitarian efforts of Habitat for Humanity.

Pianist Roger Wright has performed at Festival Amadeus and Rebecca Farm with Zoltek. Also Texas-born, Wright began his piano studies at the age of 12, making his concerto debut at 18 with the Houston Symphony. He, too, is a graduate of the University of Houston, and also Rice University. In 1998 he captured international attention when he won the 24th Frinna Awerbuch International Piano Competition in New York City, which led to his debut at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall. In 2000 he did it again. Responding to the overwhelming support he received from the audience, radio listeners and critics at the Sydney International Competition, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation released “Piano Masterpieces,” a CD of his performances at the competition. He was one of only 32 competitors selected worldwide for participation in the Eleventh Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and twice received the coveted fellowship award at the Aspen Music Festival. Hailed by critics for his powerful technique and singular musical interpretation, Wright has appeared with orchestras across the globe and been the featured performer on national radio broadcasts in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

The Glacier Symphony will open the concert with an evocative, dance-inspired orchestral composition of Zoltek’s titled “Hemispheres.” English composer Sir Edward Elgar’s beloved “Enigma Variations,” will also be performed.

The concerts will take place at the Performance Hall of Flathead High School on Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 20, at 3 p.m. Due to the number of Covid-19 cases in the valley, masks are strongly recommended to help protect orchestra members, staff, patrons, and the community’s health care workers.

Tickets are available by calling the box office at 406-407-7000. Tickets for MasterWorks concerts are complimentary for students in grades K through 12, in tiers 2 and 3. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit https://glaciersymphony.org/.