Christopher Dragon replaces Asher Fisch for a trio of concerts featuring Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 with Yeol Eum Son.
Jan. 20, 2025 – Denver, CO – The Colorado Symphony has announced a change in conductor for its upcoming performances of Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 featuring pianist Yeol Eum Son, scheduled for January 24-26, 2025, at Boettcher Concert Hall.
Asher Fisch, who replaced Jonathon Heyward last week due to personal circumstances, regrettably has had to withdraw from this engagement due to an injury sustained last week from a fall resulting in acute elbow bursitis, which required immediate surgery as advised by his doctor. He is expected to make a full recovery.
In a statement, Fisch said he was “devastated by this unexpected turn of events and looked forward to collaborating with the Colorado Symphony again at a future opportunity.”
In his place, the Colorado Symphony is pleased to announce that Resident Conductor Christopher Dragon will step in to lead the orchestra for these concerts.
This captivating program will feature Mozart’s dramatic and emotionally charged Piano Concerto No. 20, showcasing the remarkable artistry of Yeol Eum Son. The evening’s repertoire also includes Brahms’ First Symphony and, in a change to the repertoire, Beethoven’s Gratulations Menuet in place of Weber’s Overture from Euryanthe.
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ABOUT CHRISTOPHER DRAGON
Australian conductor Christopher Dragon is the Music Director of the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra, newly appointed Music Director of the Greensboro Symphony and is the Resident Conductor of the Colorado Symphony. He joined the Colorado Symphony in the 2015/2016 Season as Associate Conductor – a position he held for four years. For three years prior, Dragon held the inaugural position of Assistant Conductor with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, which gave him the opportunity to work closely with Principal Conductor Asher Fisch.
Dragon has a versatile portfolio ranging from live-to-picture performances including Nightmare Before Christmas, Toy Story and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, a wide variety of collaborations with artists such as the Wu-Tang Clan, Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Bell, to standard and contemporary orchestral repertoire such as Danny Elfman’s Percussion Concerto; all areas of which he has become highly sought after. Christopher has become known for his charisma, high energy and affinity for a good costume, consistently delivering unforgettable performances that has made him an audience favourite.
Recent highlights include his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, his German debut with the WDR Funkhausorchester, performances of Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton with Danny Elfman reprising the role of Jack Skellington and historic performances with Nathaniel Rateliff at Walt Disney Concert Hall and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Upcoming debuts include the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Nasvhille Symphony and the LA Philharmonic.
Christopher is highly sought after as a guest conductor and has worked with the San Francisco Symphony, National Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symphony, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Chicago Philharmonic, Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Sinfônica de Porto Alegre and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. In Australia, he has guest conducted the Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and West Australian Symphony Orchestras. His 2015 debut performance at the Sydney Opera House with John Pyke and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was released on album by ABC Music and won an ARIA the following year
He has also conducted at numerous festivals including the Breckenridge and Bangalow Music Festivals, with both resulting in immediate re-invitations. At the beginning of 2016 Dragon conducted Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony as part of the Perth International Art Festival alongside Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.
Christopher began his conducting studies in 2011 and was a member of the prestigious Symphony Services International Conductor Development Program in Australia under the guidance of course director Christopher Seaman. He has also studied with numerous distinguished conductors including Leonid Grin, Paavo and Neeme Jarvi at the Jarvi Summer Festival, Fabio Luisi at the Pacific Music Festival and conducting pedagogue Jorma Panula.
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Tickets for the January 24-26 performances are available now at coloradosymphony.org or by calling the box office at (303) 623-7876. Don’t miss this opportunity to witness Yeol Eum Son and the Colorado Symphony in an evening of masterful music-making.
EVENT INFORMATION:
What: Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 featuring Yeol Eum Son
Where: Boettcher Concert Hall
When: Friday, January 24, Saturday, January 25, 2025 at 7:30pm MST and Sunday, January 26 at 1:00pm MST
Tickets: Available now at coloradosymphony.org
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CONTACTS:
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Nick Dobreff, Communications and Creative Director
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org - 303.308.2477 (o)
For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org
Support for the 2024/25 Colorado Symphony Season is provided by: The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), Genesee Mountain Foundation, Denver Arts & Venues, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, Chamber Initiatives, and the Colorado Symphony Guild.
TICKETS:
Tickets to Colorado Symphony events are available online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets, by phone at 303.623.7876, and in person at the Boettcher Concert Hall Box Office, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 1000 14th Street. The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, noon – 5 p.m., and two hours prior to each performance.
ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Principal Conductor Peter Oundjian, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from the world of symphonic music and beyond. The orchestra celebrated their Centennial during the 2023/24 concert season. In the last year, the Colorado Symphony served over 340,000 people attending live performances at concert and non-traditional venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony continually expands its reach through in-person and virtual education programs, outreach, and programming. The Colorado Symphony partners with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the transformative power of music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.