One of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra music director David Zinman's long-standing dreams -- a concerto for the mighty left hands of pianists Leon Fleisher and Gary Graffman -- will be fulfilled in the BSO's 1995-96 season. Zinman, Graffman, Fleisher and the orchestra will give the world premiere of a new work by the brilliant and zany William Bolcom -- the first concerto in history to be composed in the manner of a jigsaw puzzle.
Other features of the BSO's '95-'96 season, which was announced yesterday in a brochure mailed to subscribers, include: an unusual number of debuts by much-talked-about young artists; return appearances by favorite guest artists; several symphonic blockbusters; intriguing engagements for the all-Mozart Summerfest; and an increased role for the orchestra as a presenter of classical music attractions that do not include the BSO itself.
* The Bolcom Concerto(s): Zinman got more than he bargained for when he commissioned Bolcom for a double-left-handed concerto for Fleisher and Graffman. Bolcom responded with three concertos, based on the ideas expressed in the poet William Blake's "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell." On April 11, Fleisher will perform the world premiere of Bolcom's Piano Concerto No. 1 ("Hell"), with Zinman leading half of the orchestra; on April 12, Graffman will perform the premiere of Piano Concerto No. 2 ("Heaven"), with Zinman leading the other half of the orchestra; and on April 13, these individual concertos will be performed together by both pianists with the full orchestra for the world premiere of the Concerto for Two Pianos Left Hand, the work Zinman actually requested when he commissioned Bolcom.
* Debuts: These include appearances by two much-ballyhooed young violinists: 14-year-old Sarah Chang, who will perform Lalo's "Symphonie Espagnole" Nov. 16, 17 and 18, and the 24-year-old Russian Vadim Repin, who will perform Shostakovich's Concerto No. 1 Jan. 11, 12 and 13. A less publicized, but even more interesting artist -- to judge from his astonishing recordings -- will be the 25-year-old Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, who will debut with Prokofiev's Concerto No. 3 May 23 and 24.
* Reappearances: Veteran pianist John Browning will appear with the BSO for the first time in years when he performs Brahms' Concerto No. 1 Sept. 28, 29 and 30; the fiery young Frenchwoman Helene Grimaud, who made a sensational BSO debut in 1994 in the same Brahms Concerto, will return to perform Schumann's Piano Concerto Feb. 1 and 2; and that sensitive and elegant violinist, Joshua Bell, returns to perform Barber's Violin Concerto Jan. 25, 26 and 27.
* Blockbusters: Zinman likes to open seasons in a big way, and few works are as gigantic as Mahler's Symphony No. 3 (Sept. 14 and 15). Other behemoths on Zinman's programs include Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8 (Nov. 9, 10 and 11) and Berlioz's Requiem (April 25 and 26). And great Latvian conductor Mariss Jansons will make a much-awaited reappearance leading Richard Strauss' Himalayan "Alpine Symphony" (Feb. 15, 16 and 17).
* Summerfest: Zinman's absence this July -- the conductor remains on sabbatical until September -- will be filled by violinist-conductor Jaime Laredo (July 13 and 15) and by the great Hungarian pianist-conductor Tamas Vasary in two rare American appearances (July 27 and 29). Aside from Laredo (who will perform two concertos) and Vasary (who will also perform two), the distinguished roster of soloists includes pianists Claude Frank, Joseph Kalichstein and Lillian Kallir, violinists Pamela Frank and Herbert Greenberg and hornist David Bakkegard.
* The BSO as presenter: The orchestra's presentation last November of the Philadelphia Orchestra under guest conductor Christoph Eschenbach was a smash success, so next year the BSO is bringing back the Philadelphia, this time under music director Wolfgang Sawallisch (Oct. 11). Of even greater interest should be a recital by the 23-year-old Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin (Jan. 7), who may have been this century's greatest child prodigy and who has matured into one of the century's genuinely great pianists.
* Pops Concerts: In the past few years, the BSO's pop series has been among the toniest in the country and next season's promises to be no different. Highlights include Harry Belafonte (March 21, 22, 23 and 24); Paul Anka (May 30, 31, June 1 and 2); and an intriguing program conducted by David Lockington, called "Radio Days," which will interweave big-band music by the likes of Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey with segments from vintage serials, comedies and quiz shows (May 9, 10 and 11).