Cellist Julian Schwarz joined his dad, Symphony Music Director Gerard Schwarz, on stage
Acclaimed cellist Julian Schwarz reunited with his father, Palm Beach Symphony Music Director Gerard Schwarz, on the podium for the Symphony’s first performance of the 2024-2025 Masterworks Series in Dreyfoos Concert Hall at Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.
To further the Symphony’s mission to engage, educate and entertain the greater community of the Palm Beaches, Park Vista Striking Cobra High School Marching Band, directed by Co-Band Directors Amrutha Murthy and Christopher Rodriguez, was invited to perform as an opening act before the show. The marching band then played “The Star-Spangled Banner” side-by-side with Palm Beach Symphony’s professional musicians inside the concert hall.
Maestro Schwarz led the Symphony, opening with Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s lively “Celebration,” for orchestra, which delivered the energy of a fanfare as a proper overture for the new season. The program built to Ravel’s famous orchestration of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” with more than 40 images of artworks—many historically significant—projected behind the orchestra. The visual artwork was specifically curated for this concert by Jill Deupi, director and chief curator of the Lowe Art Museum at the University of Miami.
Julian then performed Dvořák’s “Cello Concerto in B Minor,” one of the greatest cello concertos. “Our first program in a very exciting season has to be celebratory for everyone—celebrating our great orchestra and concert hall, and especially our great community,” Maestro Schwarz said. “I was very excited to perform the Dvořák’ in particular, not only because I love it, but especially because my son Julian, one of the great cellists of our time, is the featured soloist. It’s remarkable to make music together with your own child; it’s not unlike my paternal grandfather, who was a doctor, whose own son became a doctor. It’s like passing down the torch.”
Cellist Julian and Gerard Schwarz, Palm Beach Symphony Music Director Gerard Schwarz
Julian and Gerard Schwarz performing
Cellist Julian Schwarz
Palm Beach Symphony Music Director Gerard Schwarz
Palm Beach Symphony performed Ravel’s famous orchestration of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” with images of artworks projected behind the orchestra.
Palm Beach Symphony’s violin section
Park Vista Striking Cobra High School Marching Band
Born to a multigenerational musical family, Julian displays a powerful tone, effortless virtuosity and extraordinarily large color palate that are hallmarks of his style. The “Charlotte Observer” wrote of the celebrated cellist, “technique and understanding can be instilled, but Julian Schwarz played with a spirit that must come from within.” Since being awarded first prize at the inaugural Schoenfeld International String Competition in 2013, he has led an active career as a soloist, performing with symphony orchestras around the nation. Internationally, he made his Australian debut with the Queensland Symphony, his Mexican debuts with the Boca del Rio Philharmonic and the Mexico City Philharmonic and his Hong Kong debut at the Intimacy of Creativity Festival. As a chamber musician, Julian performs extensively in recitals with Marika Bournaki, and he is a founding member of the New York-based Frisson Ensemble and the Mile-End Trio. An ardent supporter of new music, Julian has premiered concertos by Richard Danielpour and Samuel Jones (recorded with the All-Star Orchestra) and the world premiere of Lowell Liebermann’s first Cello Concerto with a consortium of six orchestras. Other premieres include recital works by Paul Frucht, Scott Ordway, Jonathan Cziner, Gavin Fraser, Alex Weiser, Ofer Ben-Amots, chamber music by Adolphus Hailstork, Henri Lazarof, Bright Sheng and the U.S. premiere of Dobrinka Tabakova’s Cello Concerto.
Besides being the music director of Palm Beach Symphony, Maestro Schwarz serves as Music Director of the All-Star Orchestra, the Eastern Music Festival and the Mozart Orchestra of New York. He is also Conductor Laureate of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Emeritus of the Mostly Mozart Festival. Also in South Florida, he serves as the Distinguished Professor of Music, Conducting and Orchestral Studies of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and Music Director of the Frost Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Schwarz is Internationally recognized for his moving performances, innovative programming and extensive catalog of recordings. He has received hundreds of honors and accolades, including nine Emmy Awards, 14 Grammy® nominations, eight ASCAP Awards, and the Ditson Conductor’s Award. He was the first American named Conductor of the Year by Musical America and has received numerous honorary doctorates. The City of Seattle named the street alongside the Benaroya Hall “Gerard Schwarz Place” in his honor. Learn more at gerardschwarz.com.
The popular educational and entertaining series, Symphony Sessions: Lunch and Learns, returns this season following a hiatus due to the pandemic. From noon to 1:30 p.m. on the Thursday prior to each concert, Palm Beach Symphony will host an intimate gathering where guests will enjoy a three-course gourmet lunch catered by SandyJames Fine Food & Productions and a selection of wines curated by Palm Beach Symphony sponsor Private Cask Imports while learning about the first Masterworks Concert to better understand the material during the performance and get the inside story that they won’t hear anywhere else. Maestro Schwarz will host on April 3 and May 15, principal cellist Claudio Jaffé will host on January 9 and 30, and guest conductor Matthew Cooperman will host on February 27. The informal and informative Lunch and Learns will be held in the Symphony’s conference room located in the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties’ building, 700 S. Dixie Hwy. in West Palm Beach. Tickets are $125 and are on sale now. Complimentary valet parking will be provided.
The Masterworks concerts continue at the Kravis Center with Leonidas Kavakos, violin
(Dec. 10); Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano (Jan. 13); Gil Shaham, violin (Feb. 6); Garrick Ohlsson, piano
(March 2); Anne-Marie McDermott, piano (April 8) and a bonus seventh “Encore” concert featuring Kevin Kenner, piano (May 19).
The complete 2024-2025 Season schedule is available at palmbeachsymphony.org. Individual tickets for the concerts are on sale now. Concert tickets range in price from $25 to $95. Season subscribers will have the option to add the seventh show to their package for a nominal fee. The concert can also be included in a build-your-own mini flex package. Tickets may be purchased online at PalmBeachSymphony.org, by phone at (561) 281-0145 and at the Palm Beach Symphony Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 700 South Dixie Highway, Suite 100, West Palm Beach.
Proud sponsors of Palm Beach Symphony include Cindy and Jerome Canty, Mrs. James N. Bay, Carol and Harold Baxter, C. Kenneth and Laura Baxter Foundation, Inc., JoAnne Berkow, Kathy Lee Bickham and John Bickham, Leslie Rogers Blum, Yvonne S. Boice Trust and Alfred Zucaro, Jeffrey and Tina Bolton, James R. Borynack and Adolfo Zaralegui / FINDLAY Galleries, Jerome J. Claeys, Thomas and Carol Bruce, CIBC Private Wealth, Amy and John Collins, The Colony Hotel, CORPGOV, Suzanne Mott Dansby, The David Minkin Foundation, Michelle DuBois and James Roiter, Jacqueline and Ray K. Farris, Mary and Will Demory, Herbert H. and Barbara C. Dow Foundation, Willard H. Dow and Kelly Winter, Dr. Richard and Diane Farber, Bill and Kem Frick/The Frick Foundation, Inc., Edith Hall Friedheim/Eric Friedheim Foundation, Gerry Gibian and Marjorie Yashar, Paul and Sandra Goldner, Douglas and Jo Gressette, Irwin and Janet Gusman, Walter Harper, Thomas E. Harvey & Cathleen P. Black Foundation, Doris Hastings Foundation, Carol S. and Joseph Andrew Hays, John Herrick, Addison Hines Charitable Trust, George Hines, HSS Florida, IPO Edge, Charles and Ann Johnson/The C and A Johnson Family Foundation, Elaine Kay, Aban and Percy Kavasmaneck, Leonard and Norma Klorfine Foundation, The Kovner Foundation, Gary and Linda Lachman/The Lachman Family Foundation, Patricia Lambrecht/The Lambrecht Family Foundation, Lugano Diamonds, Donald C. McGraw Foundation, The Honorable Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, The McNulty Charitable Foundation, Tish Messinger, David Moscow, Palm Beach Design Masters, Patrick and Milly Park/Park Foundation, Nancy and Ellis J. Parker, III, PNC Private Bank, Lois Pope, Provident Jewelry, Ari Rifkin/The Len-Ari Foundation, Dr. Martha Rodriguez and Dr. Jesus Perez-Mendez, Annette Urso Rickel Foundation, Karen Hunt Rogers, The Honorable Ronald A. Rosenfeld, David Schafer, Seth Sprague Foundation, Robin B. Smith, Kimberly V. Strauss, Dodie and Manley Thaler and the Thaler/Howell Foundation, Don and Mary Thompson, Jerome and Carol Trautschold, Sieglinde Wikstrom/The Wikstrom Foundation, and The Ann Eden Woodward Foundation/James and Judy Woods.
ABOUT PALM BEACH SYMPHONY
Palm Beach Symphony is South Florida’s premier orchestra known for its diverse repertoire and commitment to community. Founded in 1974, this 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization adheres to a mission of engaging, educating, and entertaining the greater community of the Palm Beaches through live performances of inspiring orchestral music. The orchestra is celebrated for delivering spirited performances by first-rate musicians and distinguished guest artists. Recognized by The Cultural Council for Palm Beach County with a 2020 Muse Award for Outstanding Community Engagement, Palm Beach Symphony continues to expand its education and community outreach programs with children’s concerts, student coaching sessions and master classes, instrument donations and free public concerts that have reached more than 56,000 students in recent years. For more information, visit www.palmbeachsymphony.
