Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Announces Guest Conductors for the 2022-23 Masterworks Concerts

June 23, 2022

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO), which performs more than sixty concerts and provides music education to over 30,000 school children each year, has announced its lineup of guest conductors for the 2022–2023 Masterworks season. Five of the six exceptional conductors will be making return visits to the Robinson Center stage.

“Our guest conductors have been selected specifically by our own musicians because they are outstanding musicians themselves. We have truly appreciated their talents when they joined us previously or in some cases, we have long worked to schedule an opportunity to introduce them to our Little Rock community,” said ASO Chief Executive Officer Christina Littlejohn. “I know our Little Rock audiences will be excited for the concert season ahead.”

Guest conductors and their programs for the upcoming Masterworks season include:

Vladimir Kulenovic (Oct. 1–2)

  • Mozart: Overture to Nozze di Figaro
  • Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Violin Concerto in A Major, feat. Rachel Barton Pine
  • Bruch: Scottish Fantasy, feat. Rachel Barton Pine
  • Hindemith: Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber

Stephen Mulligan (Nov. 12–13)

  • James Lee, III: Beyond Sensorial Portals (ASO co-commission with Orlando Philharmonic)
  • Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, feat. Geneva Lewis
  • Sibelius: Symphony No. 5

Akiko Fujimoto (Jan. 28–29)

  • Beethoven Lenore Overture No. 3
  • Pierné Concert Piece for Harp and Orchestra, feat. Alisa Coffey
  • Prokofiev: Selections from Romeo & Juliet Suite Nos. 1-3

Andrew Crust (Feb. 25–26)

  • Margaret Bonds: Montgomery Variations
  • Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, feat. George Li
  • Still: Symphony No. 1 (Afro-American Symphony)

Geoffrey Robson (April 1–2)

  • Fanny Mendelssohn: Overture in C Major
  • R. Schumann: Symphony No. 3 in Eb Major, "Rhenish"
  • Dvořák: Cello Concerto in B minor, feat. Zuill Bailey

Matthew Kraemer (May 6–7)

  • Frederick Delius: Irmelin: Prelude
  • Doreen Carwithen: Concerto for Piano and Strings, feat. Samantha Ege
  • Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique

Tickets will go on sale for the 2022–2023 concert at a later date. A search is currently underway to identify the symphony’s next permanent music director. ASO anticipates concluding that search following the 2022–2023 concert season.