Thursday's Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra concert in the Lucas Theatre for the Arts is a celebration of - well, duh - Russian composers. The music is vivid, rich and passionate.
Guest conductor Alexei Kornienko will guide the 31-year-old orchestra through great works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Rimsky-Korsakov.
The Moscow State Radio Symphony Orchestra does not have a permanent conductor, in the European tradition. This helps to keep the performances vibrant, the musicians on their toes and ready to interpret the approach of each guest-conducting maestro.
Born in Russia, Kornienko is a resident of Vienna, Austria - he has described himself as "an Austrian with Russian roots" - and was recently named chief conductor of Bulgaria's National Philharmonic Orchestra.
Here's the program: First, the orchestra will play Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Overture - Fantasy, followed by Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43. Guest soloist on the latter will be pianist Alexei Nabioulin, the Siberia-born winner of numerous piano competitions worldwide (that's Nabioulin in our photo).
The second half of the concert will consist of Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rocco Theme in A for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 3, followed by Scheherazade Symphonic Suite for Orchestra, Op 35 by Rimsky-Korsakov.
Cello soloist for the Rocco Theme is 18-year-old Julian Schwartz, whose father is the music director of the Seattle Symphony.
At 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21 at the Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St. Tickets are $49, $39 and $29 at www.savannahboxoffice.com, or by phone at (912) 525-5050.
AGENT ORANGE
Let's go surfin' now
Everybody's learnin' how
Come on and safari with me
YAAAA!!$#dY!!!!??)(*&++!!!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Agent Orange, one of the first California punk bands to incorporate that swingin' Dick Dale vibrato into hard, fast, crunchy rock ‘n' roll. This was in the early ‘80s; they called it "surf punk" back in the day, and once the head-banging skateboard kids started using it as their soundtrack, it morphed into "skate punk." Incredibly, the band is still around, amps on 11, with Mike Palm on guitar and vocal, drummer Dave Klein, and bassist Perry Giordano. Palm is the sole member of the band to stay the course from the very beginning. Listen & learn: www.agentorange.net.
At 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23 at the Jinx, 127 W. Congress St. With Dead Yet?
OUTLAW NATION
This Louisiana reggae/roots trio's latest CD, New Day, features spots by Miles Doughty of Slightly Stoopid, Angelo Moore of Fishbone and Dave Wakeling of English Beat. "Dave Wakeling is a hero of mine," says the band's Christian Simeon. "I don't think I would be playing music if it was not for his band's immediate influence on my life as a kid - not as a musician but a normal kid! Their music was apart of my daily life soundtrack." Outlaw Nation's been around for a decade (often sharing bills with Savannah's similarly-ska-fired Passafire). Outlaw Nation's evolution has found them seamlessly blending hip hop, old-school R&B and tendrils of good old Southern rock (and sheer metal) into their sensual reggae grooves. Listen & learn: www.myspace.com/outlawnation.
At 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22 at Live Wire Music Hall, 307 W. River St. With Chase Long Beach. $8.
THE DIRK QUINN BAND
Always welcome in Savannah is Philadelphia guitar wizard Quinn, whose music is an exhilarating intoxication blended from jazz fusion - of the John McLaughlin school - and Jeff Beck-esque blues licks. Toss in a little Pat Metheny and a touch of tasty Wes Montgomery rifferey, and you get the idea. I've said this before, but it bears repeating - on YouTube, you can check out a video of Quinn, solo, owning the Who classic "Baba O'Reilly," which must be seen (and heard) to be believed. Listen & learn: www.dirkquinn.com.
At 10 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25 at Tantra Lounge, 8 E. Broughton St.
