While the repertoire contains no startling surprises, there are a few novelties amid the strongly mainstream fare that makes up the nine monthly programs.
For September (26, 27, 28), two contrasting but highly popular orchestral works, Mendelssohn's "Italian Symphony" and Respighi's "Pines of Rome," as led by DeMain, will preface Rachmaninoff's knuckle-busting "Piano Concerto No. 3," whose challenges will be amply met by welcome guest pianist Garrick Ohlsson.
The October (17, 18, 19) program will be conducted Chosei Komatsu, with guest soloist Alban Gerhardt playing Elgar's soaring "Cello Concerto," as surrounded by Copland's expansive "Outdoor Overture" and Holst's blockbuster panorama "The Planets."
In November (7, 8, 9), Estonian conductor Anu Tali will bring music by her countryman, the prolific Veljo Tormis, along with Barber's ironically sparkling "Overture to The School for Scandal and Shostakovich's "Symphony No. 9," the willfully quirky postwar work that got him into grave trouble with Soviet authorities. The visiting soloist will be Sarah Chang, in Brahms's towering "Violin Concerto."
December (5, 6, 7) will bring the annual "Christmas Spectacular," with DeMain leading forces expanded by guest singers and ensembles (Madison Youth Choirs, the Mount Zion Gospel Choir, and the Madison Area Handbells, along with the MSO Chorus).
The return of guest conductor Daniel Hege in January (16, 17, 18) will initiate the New Year with three novelties. Visiting violinist Henning Kraggerud will play the enchanting "Violin Concerto" of Sibelius. Hege will open the program with Mozart's ebullient "Paris Symphony" (No. 31) and close with selections from Prokofiev's inventive "Romeo and Juliet" ballet, its movements interspersed with the Shakespeare lines that inspired them, as read by James DeVita of the American Players Theatre.
DeMain returns to the helm in February (6, 7, 8) for an all-Beethoven program of his own personal choices: the "Leonore" Overture No. 3, the "Symphony No. 7" and, in between, the magnificently powerful "Piano Concerto No. 3," with Olga Kern as guest.
Israeli conductor Yoav Talmi will lead a program of Slavonic flavors in March (6, 7, 8), opening with the Overture to Borodin's "Prince Igor," closing with Dvorák's glowing "Symphony No. 8," framing Stravinsky's piquant "Violin Concerto."
For April (3, 4, 5), DeMain resumes command for a richly promising program highlighting the return of André Watts in the effervescent "Piano Concerto No. 2" by Saint-Saëns, sandwiched comfortably between the Prelude to Wagner's "Parsifal" and the lushly Romantic "Symphony No. 2" of Brahms.
The season finale in May (1, 2, 3) is the annual choral blowout, with one of the supreme works of its kind, Verdi's "Messa da Requiem." Beverly Taylor's Madison Symphony Chorus will be featured, along with a quartet of vocal soloists all new to the MSO rosters.
At the reception, a special video presentation looked at the season ahead and in tribute to DeMain. But the bulk of the time was devoted to DeMain himself, talking with the reception guests. He gave some reflections on the next season's repertoire, revealing how much of his own thoughts went into planning it. (He noted for example, that "I have not done much Wagner, but I want to do more.")
DeMain then responded with patience, candor and charm to questions put to him. He spoke eloquently about the resources he draws upon in studying and preparing a work, with emphasis on the primacy of the score -- which he prefers to keep before him while conducting, he said in answer to one question. ("I don't like rote memory," he confessed.) He pondered openly suggestions for future repertoire, conceding the likelihood of some Bruckner down the road, and perhaps more Shostakovich.
Above all, DeMain spoke of his happiness with his life in Madison, with the wonderful musicians (domestic and imported, new and veteran) he has been able to assemble and work with here, with the new Overture Hall facilities, and with the local audience he so carefully considers in his decisions.
"I happen to think that the Madison audience is more sophisticated than we give them credit for," he said. It is to such an informed and attentive public that he is delighted to respond.
In all, DeMain's impending 15th season looks to be as exciting and enriching for him as for the rest of us.
