Live in the Lobby: Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale

A tragic story told with music, the Soldier’s Tale tells of a soldier trying to make a deal with the devil. Written by Igor Stravinsky and C. F. Ramuz, the duo created a timeless interdisciplinary performance. This music is one of Stravinsky’s rarely performed pieces due to its unusual orchestration and famously challenging passages. The Bruch Chamber Orchestra, a young and all-female-lead ensemble, will perform the piece in its entirety with voice actors.

The Bruch Chamber Orchestra was formed in 2018 for a one-time performance of the Bruch Violin Concerto featuring Juilliard violinist, Isabel Ong, under the baton of Turkish female conductor, Nisan Ak. Due to the unplanned success of the performance, the duo decided to program more concerts under the same title. Since then, the BCO of Columbia gave 2 more performances with a mid-size orchestra featuring Miguel Hijar and Ari Streisfeld. Compared to traditional orchestras of classical music, the BCO has a millennial approach to promoting and programming its concerts. The Bruch Chamber Orchestra has an all-female executive team, a rarity in the classical music world, with Nisan Ak as Music Director/ Conductor, Isabel Ong as Concertmaster, Lauren Smith as Orchestra Manager, and Mimi Harding as the Development Coordinator. The Bruch Chamber Orchestra’s performance of The Soldier’s Tale is supported by the Robert S. Handler Trust.

Recently chosen as one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Turkey, Nisan Ak is a rising female conductor from Istanbul. She is completing her DMA at the University of South Carolina while conducting various music festivals around the world including her debut at the Smithsonian Museum. She aims to continue empowering young women to pursue their passion for conducting.