SAVANNAH, GA – The Savannah Philharmonic is thrilled to announce its second concert of the
season, “Mozart & More,” scheduled for Saturday, September 21, 2024, at 7:30 pm at the iconic
Lucas Theatre for the Arts.
Led by Music Director and Conductor Keitaro Harada, the evening will feature the renowned
pianist David Fray and showcase a selection of compositions that blend classical favorites with
exciting new work. The program includes Prokofiev’s Classical Symphony, Mozart’s Piano
Concerto No. 21 in C, K.467, “Elvira Madigan”, and the Savannah Philharmonic-commissioned
new work by Eric Jones performing The Seafarer. The performance will conclude with Mozart’s
Symphony No. 35 in D, K.385, “Haffner.”
For more information, please visit www.savannahphilharmonic.org.
David Fray:
Acclaimed for his interpretations of music from Bach to Boulez, pianist David Fray appears in the
world’s most prestigious halls in recital, symphonic and in chamber music. He has collaborated
with the greatest conductors, including Marin Alsop, Semyon Bychkov, Christoph Eschenbach,
Paavo Järvi, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, Yannick Nézet-Seguin, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Jaap van
Zweden. He regularly performs with orchestras such as the Orchestre de Paris, the Orchestre de
l’Opéra National de Paris, the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Monte-Carlo
Philharmonic, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Deutsche Sinfonie-Orchester, Bayerische Rundfunk
Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Cleveland, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago Symphonies,
New York Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, Salzburg Mozarteum Orchester, Orchestra
dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, NHK Japan, Jerusalem Symphony.
He plays on prestigious stages, such as the Philharmonie de Paris, the Théâtre des
Champs-Elysées, Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, Musikverein in Vienna, as well as at the BBC
Proms, the Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival, Prague Spring Festival, Gstaad Musical Summits.
In 2023/24 David Fray appears with the Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Jaap
van Zweden at the Prince’s Palace in Monaco, at the Salzburg Festival with members of the
Vienna Philharmonic, at the Schwarzenberg Schubertiades, with the Pacific Symphony
conducted by Alexander Shelley, the Vienna Radio Symphony and Marin Alsop with “The Age of
Anxiety” by Leonard Bernstein, La Scala in Milan and Lorenzo Viotti, the Orchestre National de
France and Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris in a play & conduct program,
as well as in recitals in prestigious venues such as the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and the Salle
Gaveau in Paris, Serate Musicali in Milan, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, and Beethoven-Haus in
Bonn.
David Fray is an exclusive Erato/Warner artist.
Eric Jones:
Eric Jones was born in Moultrie, Georgia, and started to play piano by ear at the age of five.At
11, Eric began studying trumpet and went on to pursue his education at Armstrong Atlantic
State University, studying under Dr. Kevin Hampton, graduating with a B.A. in Piano.
In addition to teaching private lessons, composing and arranging, he completed his Masters in
Composition from Georgia Southern University, where he studied under Dr. Martin Gendelman.
Eric has worked with a diverse range of artists that includes Grammy Award-winning bassist and
vocalist Esperanza Spalding, Stewart Copland of the Police and Keith Miller of the Metropolitan
Opera, Rachel Waiters of Memphis Opera, Wyclef Gordon to name a few.
In 2011 he was commissioned by the Savannah Children’s Choir to compose a piece based on
the work of Harlem Renaissance poet James Weldon Johnson’“The Creation” for solo
vocalists,orchestra and choir. “Songs of Creation” premiered in the spring of 2012. In 2019, Eric
released his debut album “Azubuike” which is translated in Igbo “the past is our strength”
featuring the trio of Marc Chesanow on bass and Robert Saunders on drums.
He has worked with Savannah Music Festival’s Musical Explorers, Savannah Jazz Festival. He
became the Interim Music Director of SMF Jazz Academy for the 2019-20 school year. He has
been a part of the Savannah Jazz Orchestra for over five years. In 2020, Eric was inducted into
the Savannah Jazz Hall of Fame. He joined the company of James Moody, Ben Tucker just to
name a few. Currently Eric is teaching at Savannah State while maintaining an active
performance schedule with various ensembles in the southeast region. Eric is also working in
diverse forms of media such as music for podcast and video. In the spring of 2023, Eric
completed a tour with virtuoso violinist Daniel Hope and the Zurrich Chamber Orchestra.
Presently Eric is completing a commissioned work by the Savannah Philharmonic which will
premiere September 21st 2024.
About The Savannah Philharmonic:
The Savannah Philharmonic, a nonprofit 501©(3), is a community-focused arts organization
which strives to present concert performances and music education of the highest caliber
throughout the southeast. Composed of a professional orchestra and community chorus, and
led by the masterful baton of Keitaro Harada, the SavPhil performs a vast range of works from
composers of the past and present, and in all genres from classical to contemporary. The
organization focuses on fostering community and inspiring a true appreciation of music through
equitable access to performances and education programs. To learn more visit
savannahphilharmonic.org.