Emory Report

June 12, 2000

 Volume 52, No. 35

Subscribe now, avoid the wait

By Eric Rangus

The first Candler Series at Glenn was such a success that it's coming back for a return engagement.

Debuting during the 1999-2000 academic year, the Candler Series, which offered subscribers first chance at seats for a remarkable lineup of classical music concerts at Glenn Auditorium, was a hit from the beginning, and interest surpassed all expectations, said Kendall Simpson, director of the Concert Division.

"We didn't have a history of subscriptions, so we weren't sure how it would go," Simpson said. "By August 30 [the day individual tickets went on sale], we had sold out."

To accommodate the demand, a third subscription zone (Zone C, at the back of the orchestra and balcony sections) will be added for the 2000-01 season, increasing the number of subscriptions from 670 to 1,000. Glenn normally seats 1,200 for concerts, so a handful of single seats will remain available for each show.

Last year's strong lineup included internationally known musicians such as cellist Yo-Yo Ma and avant garde violinist Kennedy. The schedule for 2000-2001 looks to be just as intriguing. It includes:

· Pinchas Zukerman and Friends, Nov. 14: Zukerman, one of the world's foremost violinists, will be joined by Cynthia Phelps (viola), Ralph Kirschbaum (cello) and Yefim Bronfman (piano), for an evening of music drawn from his more than 90 recordings.

· Beaux Arts Trio with the Prague Chamber Orchestra, Feb. 20: The trio, founded 40 years ago by pianist Menahem Pressler, has set the standard by which all other piano trios are measured.

· Frederica von Stade with Chanticleer, March 5: The all-male chorus Chanticleer will back up the soaring voice of mezzo soprano von Stade, who has appeared not only with the New York Metropolitan Opera but with every major opera company in the U.S.

· Alicia de Larrocha, March 21: The Spanish pianist is known for her performances of classical and Spanish music. She has performed internationally since the late 1940s and first played in North America in 1965.

Subscribing offers quite a few benefits, not the least of which is price. Subscribers receive a 20 percent discount off regular ticket prices (ranging from $88 for front of the orchestra seating to $64 for rear balcony and rear orchestra), the ability to purchase seats before they go on sale to the public on Aug. 28, free replacement for lost tickets, and the convenience of bypassing the will-call window and phone purchase.

Subscribers also get first chance to buy tickets to two optional concerts featuring the pianist Ursula Oppens (who will perform with the Atlanta's Thamyris, Oct. 8) and a duo consisting of John McLaughlin on guitar and Zakir Hussein on tambla, Nov. 6. Tickets for both of these shows are $20.

Tens of thousands of brochures containing order forms were mailed to every University and hospital employee, as well as each person in the Emory box office database of previous event buyers. Despite this large mailing, subscriptions remain pretty much an Emory secret.

"There has been no advertising," Simpson said. "We wanted to give the Emory community the opportunity to get subscriptions before we do a full-fledged ad campaign throughout Atlanta. This was done to give the Emory folks first dibs, so to speak."

To subscribe, complete the order form and mail it to the Arts at Emory Box Office, DUC Drawer D, Atlanta, 30322-2400, or fax it to 404-727-4763. For more information or to charge tickets by phone, call the box office at 404-727-5050 or e-mail boxoffice@emory.edu.


Return to June 12, 2000 contents page