THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, May 23, 1996                TAG: 9605220089
SECTION: DAILY BREAK             PAGE: E3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: Paul Sayegh 
                                            LENGTH:   22 lines

FALLETTA IS ON THE GO

Virginia Symphony Music Director JoAnn Falletta, who will conduct this weekend's performances at Chrysler Hall, is in high gear these days.

Earlier this month, she led the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; in April, she had several engagements in Europe, including a program in Mannheim, Germany, featuring Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto.

The musicians, Falletta said, were enthusiastic about the American composer's music. ``Barber's music is expressive and emotionally intense without being retrograde. It's simply great music,'' she said.

Her appearance at Carnegie Hall, which included Strauss' ``Rosenkavalier'' Suite and piano concertos by Ravel and Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera, received good notices from the New York Times, which praised her ``incisive technique, utter control, and energy,'' as well as her ``refreshing'' interpretation. by CNB