GBS: THE SOUND ON THE SOUND

New Season Announced!

2022-23 will be a season of change, full of exciting possibilities.

After eight glorious seasons, our beloved music director Eric Jacobsen has announced his retirement from GBS at the end of next season. He will conduct the first and last concerts of the season, and has recommended three amazing conductors, one of whom, we hope, will be selected to be our new Music Director next April.

The season is themed TURN, TURN, TURN -- and indeed you, the audience will participate in each of the three conductors having a turn conducting for you in November, December and March. Through surveys and focus groups, you'll be able to assist GBS in forming our future!

For Beethoven, Dvorak, Schubert, Mahler and Bruckner, "The 9th" represents the culminating artistic achievement of their lives. Here in Bridgeport, we celebrate "The 9th" with the start of Eric Jacobsen's ninth season as conductor - the capstone of his profound time with GBS since 2014. Bringing back some of his favorite performances with GBS, Eric will lead GBS in Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. and Dvorak's 8th Symphony in G major.

THREE CONDUCTORS: WITNESS THE FUTURE OF GBS!

Eric Jacobsen’s final concert as Principal Conductor will feature Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, plus a concerto yet to be determined, which he promises will be “very special.” Be sure to be with us as we wish Eric hail and farewell, on this night when we celebrate his years with GBS.

SUBSCRIBE TO ALL FIVE CONCERTS NOW!
DON'T MISS A MINUTE OF THIS MOMENTOUS SEASON!

feel the passion
a triumph on APRIL 9 AT THE KLEIN!
sT. jOHN'S PASSION
with the CONNECTICUT CHAMBER CHOIR and FAIRFIELD COUNTY CHILDREN'S CHOIR
and guest artists
ARIADNE GREIF - AGNES VOJTKO - DAVID VANDERWAL - MISCHA BOUVIER - JOHN DOMINICK III
Click here to see News12 feature
On the eve of Palm Sunday, a thunderous ovation was evidence of how Bach's Passion filled The Klein with emotion to be found only in great music. The full orchestra and a 70 member combined choir filled the stage, including theorbo, lute, harpsichord and organ, which brought out the rich Baroque sound of the composition. “It’s so incredible to be back at The Klein, in person with our friends again,” said Jacobsen.

one more concert still to come this season!
click here to purchase tickets
click on date boxes below to see concert info

In July at Paier College (Bridgeport), you'll be on stage with the orchestra, as the dancers of DANCE HEGINBOTHAM fly between The Planets in this specially-created program.

It's an event unique in the storied annals of GBS. Four performances with intimate audiences will thrill the senses in this fusion of music and dance.

Be part of the music as you've never been before!

Our previous concerts this season:

Notes/Reviews 11/13

Program Journals for October, November and December

Program Journal for April 9 / July 8-9, with program notes

Need help? Call (203) 576-0263 or email mark@GBS.org

Important News:
Dance Fusion: The Planets (orignally scheduled for March 10-11-12) has been postponed to Fri./Sat. July 8-9, with two performances nightly, 7 pm and 8:45 pmat Paier College, Bridgeport
Because of uncertainties with the current spread of the Covid virus,
our management has deemed it more prudent to present these four performances
during the summer, when we hope that the virus may be on the run for good.
IF YOU ALREADY HAVE TICKETS, NO WORRIES!
Your Thursday or Friday tickets will transfer to Friday July 8
and your current Saturday tickets will transfer to Saturday July 9,
same showtimes. Replacement tickets have been emailed. If you have not received yours, please contact mark@GBS.org.
If the new dates are not convenient for you, please call our office and we will be glad to make other arrangements for you.

Did you miss any concerts this season?
Unsure about attending live events?

You can help us, and we can help you!
This season's concerts are available for home viewing for supporters of
our new educational outreach program - the

VIDEO OUTREACH CAMPAIGN -- please click here for details.

For a donation of $94, you will be supporting distribution of great music
into local schools!

"The eSubscription is fantastic!"
"What a wonderful way to enjoy the symphony! Best seats in the house!"
"It was beautiful - a true light in the darkness."

BRING THE FAMILY!
GBS offers special discounts for families with kids under 19.
All schoolchildren get seats for $10, anywhere in the house, and
accompanying adults get 15% off their ticket price.
Available only by phone sale -- (203)576-0263

THE GBS ALBUM IS HERE!

A great gift: order by calling (203)576-0263.

GBS with SANDEEP DAS, KAYHAN KALHOR, MATHIAS KUNZLI, KAREN OUZOUNIAN and MARIO GOTOH

NOVEMBER 12, 2021 - see news and video here!

GBS with TIFFANY POON

Spring 2022

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

76th SEASON UNDERWAY!

Home again after the pandemic,

we picked up right where we

left off with Dvorak From the New

World, An American in Paris, and

GBS' dear friend

ANDREW ARMSTRONG

performed Rachmaninoff's

Piano Concerto #1 on

piano.

A special treat at the

November 13 concert:

our own

DEBORAH WONG, solo

violin on Prokofiev's

Violin Concerto #1.

And there's more -

see above!

ERIC JACOBSEN is back

for his eighth season!

A spectacular season is in store!

Concerts will be LIVE!

Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, Rachmaninoff, Holst and many more await you at GBS.

THE MUSIC LIVES ON AT GBS!

We look forward to seeing you again

when the time is right for you,

and in the meantime

we wish you and

your families

good health

and warm regards.

Read the Program Journal

Our 75th Season: Crescendo 75:

The four concerts below were available on private YouTube from November 2020 through April 2021.

Read the Program Journal

Read the Program Journal

Read the Program Journal

Donate

A special message from Eric Jacobsen

Our music director, Eric Jacobsen, sends his best wishes to all GBS fans, along with this special performance.

Recording Session: Aaj Ki Raat and Atashgah

Watch an amazing recording session with conductor Eric Jacobsen, Silkroad artists Sandeep Das, Kayhan Kalhor, Karen Ouzounian, Mathias Kunzli, and Shawn Conley perform with the GBS at Just Right Studios in Bridgeport, CT. Put on your headphones, turn up the sound and enjoy our mini-performance of music from the 2019 season opener.
ALBUM ON SALE NOW! CONTACT GBS.org

The Lark Ascending at the Palace

Watch this masterful convergence of music and place as the Jacobsen brothers perform Ralph Vaughn Williams’ The Lark Ascending at the long- abandoned Palace Theatre in Bridgeport, CT. Directed by Vitor Hirtsch, this magical video is the first of “The Bridgeport Sets” showcasing the GBS performing in iconic Bridgeport settings.

COMPETITIONS

The Covid crisis placed the 2020 Young Instrumentalist and 2020 Emerging Composers Competitions on hold. GBS will continue these competitions, which were well underway, as soon as it is safe to do so.

Just before the shutdown, finalists for both competitions were chosen. The final round will take place as soon as the judges can be gathered.

In the meantime, we invite you to preview the entries of the six Young Instrumentalists' Competition finalists. Click here to sample the amazing talent of Connecticut's youth!

We hope to post similar videos soon of the Emerging Composer Competition finalists.

OUR MAESTRO ERIC JACOBSEN

Eric Jacobsen, a world-renowned cellist, was only 32 years old when he took the podium in September 2014 as Music Director of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony. Hailed by the New York Times as “an interpretive dynamo,” Jacobsen has built a reputation for engaging audiences with innovative and collaborative programming. Eric is also conductor of The Knights and serves as the Music Director for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra.