Cross-border collaboration comes to Kleinhans when Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear returns to perform Beethoven’s heroic “Emperor” Piano Concerto No. 5 under the baton of conductor David Lockington, while Prayer by JUNO Award-winner Vivian Fung is an affirmation of faith. The Second Symphony of Sibelius is fierce and triumphant, itself a source of Finnish pride.

Program

David Lockington, conductor
Stewart Goodyear, piano

VIVIAN FUNG  Prayer
BEETHOVEN  Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 73, “Emperor”
I. Allegro
II. Adagio un poco mosso
III. Rondo: Allegro

-INTERMISSION-

SIBELIUS  Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 43
I. Allegretto
II. Andante, ma rubato
III. Vivacissimo
IV. Finale: Allegro moderato

About David Lockington

David Lockington returns to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with 40 years of experience conducting in the US and Europe. In addition to Music Director positions with orchestras in California, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Colorado, Wyoming, and New York, he has guest conducted dozens of other orchestras. His longest tenure was with the Grand Rapids Symphony from 2000-2016. Lockington was also Principal Guest Conductor for OSPA in Oviedo, Spain for almost 10 years. He will return to the ASMI Festival this summer in Italy.

Lockington has made 10 recordings, including one playing his own works for cello. The recording with harpist Deborah Henson Conant and the Grand Rapids Symphony was nominated for a GRAMMY Award. Other recordings include single composer albums by Adolphus Hailstork, Philip Sawyers, and Avner Dorman. His recording with Dylana Jenson and the London Symphony Orchestra of the Barber and Shostakovich violin concertos is fast becoming a classic.

Lockington grew up in London, England, and after attending Cambridge University, emigrated to the US in 1978 to study with Aldo Parisot and Otto-Werner Mueller at Yale. He started his conducting career while still playing as Assistant Principal Cello with the Denver Symphony Orchestra.

About Stewart Goodyear

Proclaimed “a phenomenon” by the Los Angeles Times and “one of the best pianists of his generation” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished concert pianist, improviser, and composer. Mr. Goodyear has performed with, and been commissioned by, many of the major orchestras and chamber music organizations around the world.

Last year, Orchid Classics released Mr. Goodyear’s recording of his suite for piano and orchestra, “Callaloo,” and his piano sonata. His recent commissions include a piano quintet for the Penderecki String Quartet, and a piano work for the Honens Piano Competition.

Mr. Goodyear’s discography includes the complete sonatas and piano concertos of Beethoven, as well as concertos by Tchaikovsky, Grieg and Rachmaninoff, an album of Ravel piano works, and an album entitled “For Glenn Gould,” which combines repertoire from Mr. Gould’s U.S. and Montreal debuts. His Rachmaninoff recording received a JUNO nomination for Best Classical Album for Soloist and Large Ensemble Accompaniment. Mr. Goodyear’s recording of his own transcription of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker (Complete Ballet)” was chosen by the New York Times as one of the best classical music recordings of 2015. His discography is released on the Marquis Classics, Orchid Classics, Bright Shiny Things, and Steinway & Sons labels. His newest recording, Adolphus Hailstork’s Piano Concerto with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under JoAnn Falletta, was released in March 2023 on the Naxos label. His composition for solo cello and piano, “The Kapok,” was recorded by Inbal Negev and Mr. Goodyear on Avie Records, and his suite for solo violin, “Solo,” was commissioned and recorded by Miranda Cuckson for the Urlicht AudioVisual label.

Highlights for the 2023-24 season are his performances at Summer for the City (Lincoln Center, NY), Southbank Centre (U.K.), Schleswig-Holstein Festival, his recital debut at Wigmore Hall, his debut with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and his return with the Milwaukee Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and his Carnegie Hall debut with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra.