Provided by Manassas Symphony Orchestra
The American Prize-winning Manassas Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director James Villani, is excited to announce five superb concert experiences for its twenty-fourth season in 2016-2017.
The concert season gets underway this summer with the Symphony’s annual free pops concert at the Harris Pavilion on Sunday, August 21 at 3:00 p. m. Hosted once again by radio personality Robb Spewak of The Mike O’Meara Show, the MSO presents Sounds of the Silver Screen, a salute to the generations of wonderful music from Hollywood’s greatest hits. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy some free ice cream!
The symphony kicks off its subscription series in the beautiful Hylton Performing Arts Center on Saturday, October 29 at 7:30 p. m. with internationally-acclaimed violinist Emil Chudnovsky for Il Virtuosi, a celebration of virtuoso performers and composers. Following Franz Liszt’s Les Préludes, Chudnovsky plays Niccolò Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in B minor (“La campanella”) and Piotr Tchaikovsky’s epic Symphony No. 4 brings the concert to a thrilling conclusion.
The MSO welcomes the holiday season with a frolicking look at winter at its annual family concert, Winter Carnival on Saturday, December 10, at 3:30 p. m. The concert also features Reagan Middle School seventh grade violinist Thomas Kim playing Winter from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, and the debut of a playful new work about winter fun by one of our favorite composers, J. Scott McKenzie. The concert includes seasonal favorites and closes with our exclusive synchronized holiday music and light show!
Our very own horn player Avery Pettigrew is center stage on Saturday, March 4 at 7:30 p. m. as the symphony performs Musical Morsels — a smorgasbord of small works to delight your musical palate. Dr. Pettigrew is featured in James Beckel’s concerto for horn and orchestra titled The Glass Bead Game. This musical feast includes Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture and delicacies from Edvard Grieg, Jacques Offenbach, and Carl Nielsen.
The Manassas Symphony concludes its season on Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 p. m.with Symphonic Exuberance. Joined by a large chorus of select students from several Prince William County High Schools under the direction of Dominick Izzo, the combined forces perform Dan Forrest’s joyful masterpiece, Requiem for the Living. The concert includes Gioachino Rossini’s Overture to “The Barber of Seville” and Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber.
Season subscriptions and individual concert tickets are available from the Hylton Center Box Office or by calling 888-945-2468. All children and student tickets (through college) are free.
The Manassas Symphony is the winner of the 2015 American Prize for Orchestral Performance, Community Division and is a Resident Arts Partner of the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas. The all-volunteer orchestra plays five concerts a year and is involved with many educational and civic events throughout the community. For more information on the Manassas Symphony, visit its website at ManassasSymphony.org.
