Featuring ISO Assistant Conductor Su-Han Yang & pianist Michelle Cann
Pianist Michelle Cann makes her Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra (ISO) debut with some of the most popular melodies in Western music in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
ISO Assistant Conductor Su-Han Yang conducts Rachmaninoff’s expressive Symphony No. 3.
Despite being prolific, with several concertos, symphonies, chamber works and piano pieces to her credit, Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz has received little attention in the U.S. until recently. The ISO will feature her piece Overture – composed in 1943 – during the evening concerts.
Click here to buy tickets. Performances begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 4; 8 p.m., Friday, April 5; and at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6.
For more information regarding the policies of the Hilbert Circle Theatre, please visit indianapolissymphony.org.
About Su-Han Yang
Su-Han Yang joined ISO as Assistant Conductor in January 2023. In this capacity, he hosts the ISO’s Words on Music pre-concert discussions, conducts the ISO’s annual Discovery Concerts, and assists Classical Series conductors during rehearsals.
Yang takes the reins from former ISO Resident Conductor Jacob Joyce, who served for four years in the role. Yang has also served as Associate Conductor of Taiwan Philharmonic (the National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan). He won the First Prize in the 10th International Grzegorz Fitelberg Competition for Conductors in 2017 and received numerous invitations to collaborate with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Sinfonia Varsovia, the Silesian Philharmonic, the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, the Kraków Philharmonic, the Łódź Philharmonic, the Pomeranian Philharmonic, the Brandenburger Symphoniker, the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus Orchestra, the Gliwice Chamber Orchestra, the Capella Bydgostiensis, and many others. Since 2016 he has regularly conducted the Camerata Taiwan in their annual concert tour of Taiwan and took them on a three-concert tour of Germany in 2022.
About Michelle Cann
Michelle Cann has become one of the most sought-after pianists of her generation. She made her debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2021 and has recently performed concertos with The Cleveland Orchestra, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Orquestra Sinfônica Municipal de São Paulo, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the symphony orchestras of Atlanta, Baltimore, and Cincinnati. In March, Cann was announced as the American Pianists Association‘s first Christel DeHaan Artistic Partner.
In her new role, a position made possible by a Legacy Grant from the Christel DeHaan Family Foundation, Cann will provide further support and mentorship to the five APA finalists and oversee all artistic aspects of the competition, including managing the nomination process, jury selection, and concert programming. In spring 2022, she performed on the American Pianists Association’s recital series and has since fostered a strong collaborative relationship with the organization.
Highlights of Cann’s 2023-24 season include appearances with the Charlotte, Hawaii, Indianapolis, Québec, Sarasota, and Winnipeg symphony orchestras, and recitals in New York City, Portland, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, and Denver. She also has teaching and performance residencies at Indiana University South Bend and Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington.
Recognized as a leading interpreter of the piano music of Florence Price, Cann performed the New York City premiere of Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement with The Dream Unfinished Orchestra in July 2016 and the Philadelphia premiere with The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin in February 2021. Her recording of the concerto with the New York Youth Symphony won a Grammy Award in 2023 for Best Orchestral Performance. Her acclaimed debut solo album Revival, featuring music by Price and Margaret Bonds, was released in May 2023 on the Curtis Studio label. She has also recorded two Price piano quintets with the Catalyst Quartet.
About the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, at home and thriving in the heart of Indianapolis, offers an exceptional artistic and musical experience. The orchestra is open to all and dedicated to creating an inclusive and innovative experiential environment that is inspiring, educational, and welcoming. The ISO celebrates historically beloved performances while engaging audiences by introducing new voices through programming including the IU Health Plans Classical Series, the Printing Partners Pops Series, the holiday traditions of AES Indiana Yuletide Celebration and the popular Film Series presented by Bank of America. For more information, visit indianapolissymphony.org.