CONTACT: WINSTON BARCLAY
100 Old Public Library
Iowa City IA 52242
(319) 384-0073; fax (319) 384-0024
e-mail: winston-barclay@uiowa.edu

Release: Nov. 17, 2000

(NOTE TO EDITORS: To request an interview with Galway, contact IMG Artists at 212-489-8300.)

James Galway and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra perform 'French Fantasy' in Hancher

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and superstar flutist James Galway will perform a concert entitled "French Fantasy" at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5 in Hancher Auditorium on the University of Iowa campus.

The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra’s unusual style of management, which involves neither a conductor nor a hierarchy within the ensemble, will be the focus of a pre-performance discussion featuring Jude West of the UI College of Business Administration, at 7 p.m. in the Hancher Greenroom. The discussion is free to concert ticketholders.

The capability of Orpheus to rehearse and perform at the highest level through democratic collaboration rather than a musical director has become the inspiration for a series of management seminars that are presented in corporate settings. As part of their visit to the UI, members of Orpheus will present a three-hour seminar on Dec. 6 for students in the UI College of Business and local business people.

The Dec. 5 all-French concert program features Ravel’s "Tombeau de Couperin," the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra by Ibert, Faure’s Fantasy for Flute and Orchestra and the Symphony in C by Bizet.

Orpheus was founded in 1972 by a group of musicians who aspired to perform the
chamber-orchestra repertoire as chamber music. The ensemble developed its conductor-less approach to the study and performance of this repertoire by bringing to the orchestral setting the chamber music principles of personal involvement and mutual respect.

Together they make the interpretive decisions that are ordinarily the work of a conductor. They also collaboratively choose the repertoire and create the programs, and they continually study and refine their rehearsal techniques.

For every work, the members of the orchestra determine the concert master and the principal players for each section. These players constitute the core group, whose role it is to form the initial concept of the piece and to shape the rehearsal process. In the final rehearsals, all members of the orchestra participate in refining the interpretation and execution, with members taking turns listening from the auditorium for balance, blend, articulation, dynamic range and clarity of expression.

And in recording sessions, everyone crowds into the production booth to listen to the initial playbacks. Orpheus has released more than 50 recordings on the Deutsche Grammophon label, winning numerous awards, including three 1999 Grammy Awards for its jazz-inspired Ravel and Gershwin collaboration with Herbie Hancock.

Galway, the "Man with the Golden Flute," is the most prominent classical flutist in the world, and he has also won additional fans for his performances of Japanese and Irish folk music, crossover and jazz.

After mastering the penny whistle in his hometown of Belfast, Ireland, he began serious musical training on the flute, winning three top prizes at a local competition at age 12. Following extensive study at the most respected music schools in Europe and a series of positions with leading British orchestras he was appointed principal flute of the Berlin Philharmonic in 1969.

After six years, Galway decided to establish a solo career, and within one year he had recorded his first four RCA albums, played more than 120 concerts and appeared as a soloist with London’s four major orchestras.

One of the most successful classical recording artists of all time, Galway has a discography of more than 50 albums as an exclusive RCA Victor Red Seal artist, winning Grand Prix du Disque, Record of the Year Awards from both Cash Box and Billboard magazines, a platinum record and several gold records.

Galway has appeared as a host of his own holiday specials and a regular guest on a variety of television programs, including the "Tonight Show," the "Today" show, "Good Morning, America," "CBS This Morning," "Sesame Street" and PBS’s "Live from Lincoln Center."

Galway was honored as 1997 Musician of the Year by Musical America.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen is the corporate sponsor of the Dec. 5 concert and the Dec. 6 seminar, through the University of Iowa Foundation.

Tickets are $45, $42 and $37. Zone 2 and 3 tickets are available to UI students For $10, and they also qualify for a 20-percent discount on Zone 1 tickets. Senior citizens qualify for a 20-percent discount on all tickets, and tickets for audience members 17 and younger are half price.

Hancher box office hours are 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. From the local calling area, dial (319) 335-1160. Long distance is toll-free, 1-800-HANCHER. Fax to (319) 353-2284. Orders may be charged to VISA, MasterCard or American Express. UI students may charge their purchases to their university bills, and UI faculty and staff may select the option of payroll deduction.

Information and brochures may be requested by e-mail at <hancher-box-office@uiowa.edu>.

People with special needs for access, seating and auxiliary services should dial (319) 335-1158. This number will be answered by box office personnel prepared to offer assistance with handicapped parking, wheelchair access and seating, hearing augmentation and other services. The line is equipped with TDD for people with hearing impairment who use that technology.

For UI arts information, visit this new address -- www.uiowa.edu/artsiowa -- on the World Wide Web. To learn more about the artists, visit <www.jamesgalway.com> and <www.orpheusnyc.com>.

To receive UI arts news by e-mail, contact <deborah-thumma@uiowa.edu>.