Performances at the New Marigny Theater, 2301 Marais St, New Orleans
June 13 & 14, 8 p.m.
“Too Many Notes” is an immersive concert that pulls back the curtain on musical creation, revealing creativity and excellence as a process, not a product. Featuring a full symphony orchestra conducted by Francis Scully, the performance begins with Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter,” staging Mozart’s compositional process as a graceful dance between structure and play, rules and freedom. The second part of the concert presents the world premiere of Tucker Fuller’s Piano Concerto with soloist Brian Hsu. As a prelude to the performance of the full concerto, audience members roam about the theater interacting with five student pianists as they practice etudes built from thematic and technical passages from the new concerto. These interactions not only introduce listeners to the musical material and the technical challenges of the new concerto, but they allow the audience to get an inside look at the learning process. Through the staging and musical performances, listeners embrace an alternative concept of musical creativity and virtuosity as a collaborative process between individual and community, technique and imagination, imperfection and growth.
“We wanted to do something a little different in presenting this new concerto,” notes Scully. As he explains, “I came across this terrific quote from U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón where she says ‘if we become masters, we must then be in charge, be in power, have dominion over others. And also, doesn’t it imply that if we master something, we are no longer learning?’ Rather than simply showcasing the virtuosic soloist with the “magical” talent, perhaps we could also celebrate the lifelong journey of learning—the repetition, the creativity, and yes, even the mistakes—by presenting elements of the process in the performance.”
Tucker Fuller and Brian Hsu have a longstanding artistic relationship, dating back to their years together as doctoral students at the University of Michigan. The pair have collaborated on several projects in New Orleans, including Fuller’s ballet Giselle Deslondes at the Marigny Opera House. As musical performances gradually resumed in the pandemic’s later phase, Fuller and Hsu hearkened upon the idea of collaborating on a new concerto. The two worked closely together during the composition of the piece, with Hsu sharing his intimate knowledge of the Romantic piano repertoire to help shape the solo part. The piece certainly evokes the passion and heroism of the Romantic concerto, but is shot through with Fuller’s post-minimalist rhythmic complexity, contrapuntal puzzles, and abundant lyricism.
The project also marks a new collaboration between New Resonance Orchestra and the Musical Arts Society of New Orleans (MASNO). MASNO has fostered high-quality performances of piano repertoire and nurtured young talent through their competition and education programs
throughout the New Orleans region for over 40 years. The world premiere of this concerto expands MASNO’s mission by honoring the virtuosic piano tradition while enriching the twenty-first century repertoire. By involving student pianists alongside professional performers, the project bridges MASNO’s dual commitment to presenting world-class artists and nurturing emerging talent through initiatives like the New Orleans Piano Institute.
Brian Hsu
Since his concerto debut at the age of 16 with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Taiwanese-American pianist Brian Hsu has gone on to establish himself as a pianist of great energy and unusual communicative ability. Critics have described his performances in superlatives, noting his “breadth of expression and technical ability.” He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, Artist Diploma from Yale University, and Doctoral of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan. He is currently an associate professor of piano at the University of Oregon. Prior to Oregon, he was the associate professor at Loyola University New Orleans.
Tucker Fuller (b. 1980) was born on a farm near Ellendale, North Dakota. Since arriving in New Orleans in 2010, Tucker has written a number of award-winning ballets, song cycles, and symphonic works for the Marigny Opera House/Ballet, New Resonance Orchestra, and the Louisiana Philharmonic (among others). He studied composition with composers Joan Tower, Christopher Theofanidis, Evan Chambers, Bright Sheng, and Michael Daugherty, and holds degrees from Bard College (B.A.), Peabody Conservatory (M.M.A.), and the University of Michigan (D.M.A).
Francis Scully Francis Scully is the founder and music director of New Resonance Orchestra. Scully also shares his passion for music in a variety of educational roles. He has conducted the Louisiana Philharmonic on numerous occasions, including their “Band Together” educational series. As Assistant Professor of Music at University of Holy Cross, Scully inspires new listeners in courses on music appreciation, twentieth-century music, and the history of Rock. He holds an M.M. in Orchestral Conducting from Peabody Conservatory where he studied with Gustav Meier and Markand Thakar. He also studied violin performance (B.M.) with Jody Gatwood at Catholic University. He is currently working on a PhD in Musicology at Louisiana State University.
New Resonance Orchestra is a group of young, professional classical musicians in New Orleans working to reclaim classical music in America as a vital force for artistic expression and social change. With its fearless performances, New Resonance Orchestra makes music that is fresh, joyful, and relevant. Creating interdisciplinary performance events and engaging with current issues, New Resonance Orchestra uses classical music to rejuvenate New Orleans.
| TICKETS: | $25 General Admission /$35 reserved seats/$15 Students |
New Resonance Orchestra and Brian Hsu perform Too Many Notes
8 p.m. Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14, 2025
Performances at the New Marigny Theater, 2301 Marais St, New Orleans
INFO: newresonanceorchestra.com/tickets