By Derrick HindsExecutive Director
Saint Joseph Symphony
The Saint Joseph Symphony has been part of the community for 100 years, and as we begin a new century of playing live music at the historic Missouri Theater downtown, we want you to be a part of it. Now, you may be saying to yourself, “St. Joe has its own symphony?” Indeed we do. We are a 60-piece professional symphony orchestra, performing five major concerts each year, as well as many smaller performances and educational outreach events for children.
One of the most exciting things happening this season will be the auditioning of candidates to become our new conductor. For many years, the orchestra has been led by a professional conductor who also serves as a member of the music faculty at
Missouri
Western
State
University. This year we have three finalists for the conductor position, each of whom will have the opportunity to conduct an entire concert, so you’ll be able to see them in action and meet them in person after the show.
Our first concert on September 27th will be led by conductor finalist Mark Allen McCoy, who currently leads the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra in
Leesburg, Virginia. He’ll be followed on November 8th by Beverly Everett, who currently leads the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra in
Minnesota and on February 21st by Rico McNeela who conducts the orchestra at the
University of
Toledo in
Ohio. Our December holiday and April concerts will be led by local guest conductors who are helping us out until a permanent conductor is named.
We’re also working to find familiar and exciting music for every concert. In September, we’ll feature the Overture to Mozart’s “Magic Flute”, Chopin’s “Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor” with guest pianist Graciella Kowalczyk and Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite”, a powerful piece of music loved by concertgoers around the world. The rest of the season will have more great music and some surprises, so we encourage you to join our growing audience.
For those who have never been to symphony concerts before, we’re often asked, “Do I have to dress up?” Our answer is, “Come as you are!” While some of our patrons dress up to show off their new clothes or impress a date, most folks just wear what they would wear to work or to church. Even jeans and a T-shirt are all right. As far as we’re concerned, the most important part of the concert is how the music sounds, not how the audience looks. Others unfamiliar with orchestral music ask us, “When will I know when to clap?” Some pieces of music are broken up into different sections with no clapping in between, but we always say so in the program. Just watch the people around you and when in doubt, clap!
Our main message this season is that the symphony isn’t just for the old folks or rich people dressed in tuxedos. It’s an evening of live music for anyone to enjoy. You don’t need a degree in music to appreciate passionate music. And when compared to other orchestras around the country, our tickets are a bargain. We’re making it easier than ever to treat yourself to a great night out.
Be sure to check out our new and improved website at www.saintjosephsymphony.org for the latest news and information about what’s happening with the Symphony at the Missouri Theater. You can find out how to support the Symphony, check out this season’s concert programs, learn more about our conductor candidates and even purchase your tickets online. It’s a New Century for our New Symphony. We hope you’ll join us.
Posted by: admin on Friday, August 22nd, 2008
Filed under: Joe On Campus,
General |