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Utah Symphony music director Thierry Fischer has withdrawn from this weekend's concerts due to illness. Veteran conductor Andrew Litton will lead the orchestra in Elgar's Violin Concerto (with soloist Fumiaki Miura) and "Pomp and Circumstance" March No. 1, Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" and Boulez's orchestration of Ravel's "Frontispiece."
"We are unbelievably lucky to have someone of his experience come in this week and take over our whole program," said Utah Symphony artistic-planning VP Toby Tolokan, noting this week's rehearsals began on Tuesday, a day earlier than usual, because of Thursday night's performance in Ogden. Fischer determined on Monday he wouldn't be well enough to conduct, Tolokan immediately began texting artist managers, and Litton — music director of the New York City Ballet and former music director of the Dallas Symphony and Norway's Bergen Philharmonic, among others — happened to have the week free. "He was very gracious to jump on a plane just a few hours later," Tolokan said.
Ogden • Thursday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.; Browning Center, Weber State University; $10-$24; symphonyballet.org
Salt Lake City • Friday and Saturday, April 7-8, 7:30 p.m.; Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City; $21-$82 ($5 more on concert day; discounts available for students, young adults and groups); utahsymphony.org