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Renowned organist and @UArts alum Norman Mackenzie returns to @KimmelCenter’s Verizon Hall for a special matinee performance on 5/20
Press Contact:
Amanda Conte
215-790-5847
aconte@kimmelcenter.org
PHILADELPHIA NATIVE AND INTERNATIONALLY-RECOGNIZED CONCERT ORGANIST NORMAN MACKENZIE PERFORMS AT VERIZON HALL, MAY 20, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, March 23, 2017) –– Philadelphia native and University of the Arts alumnus Norman Mackenzie will return to the Kimmel Center Campus for a solo performance on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ in Verizon Hall on Saturday, May 20, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. A music collaborator, conductor, and renowned concert organist, Mackenzie made his first appearance as a pianist with The Philadelphia Orchestra at age 12, and then again as an organist at age 20. The current Director of Chorus for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO), a role he assumed in 2000, Mackenzie has been carrying forward the creative vision of founding conductor Robert Shaw.
“Norman Mackenzie got his start at an early age in Philadelphia and we are thrilled to welcome him back,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “It is always our greatest pleasure to share the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ with brilliant musicians and Norman is one of the best!”
During Norman’s tenure with the ASO, the chorus has made numerous tours and garnered several Grammy® Awards, including Best Classical Album and Best Choral Performance. Mackenzie’s acclaimed Telarc recording of a cappella sacred music, featuring the Vaughan Williams Mass in G-Minor, represents the ASO Chamber Chorus’ first recording apart from the orchestra.
Norman Mackenzie takes on many roles at his position of Director of Chorus at the ASO including preparing the Choruses for all concerts and recordings, working closely with ASO Music Director Robert Spano on the commissioning and realization of new choral-orchestral works, and conducting holiday concerts. He also serves as Director of Music and Fine Arts for Atlanta’s Trinity Presbyterian Church and pursues an active recital and guest-conducting schedule. In his 14-year association with Robert Shaw, he served as keyboardist for the ASO, principal accompanist for the ASO Choruses, and ultimately assistant choral conductor. In addition, he was musical assistant and accompanist for the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers, the Robert Shaw Institute Summer Choral Festivals in France and the United States, and the famed Shaw/Carnegie Hall Choral Workshops.
Organ performances are generously supported by the Wyncote Foundation.
Other upcoming organ performances on the Kimmel Center Campus include tenThing(March 29, 2017, Verizon Hall), Tanya Tagaq in concert with Nanook of the North (April 13, 2017, Verizon Hall), and 7th Annual Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ Day (June 10, 2017, Verizon Hall).
NORMAN MACKENZIE
Verizon Hall
May 20, 2017, 2:00 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets are available now and start at $25.00. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling (215) 790-5883. More information at kimmelcenter.org.
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, the Kimmel Center’s mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience through diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel Center Campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music (owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the Merriam Theater. The Kimmel Center is also home to eight Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2016-2017 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
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For a PDF version of this press release, please click here