Concerts
Welcome to the 2010-11 season of the Longview Symphony!I am delighted to present this season of great variety, encompassing music spanning two and a half centuries and emanating from eight different countries. You will be thrilled by the pageantry of Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks; moved by the melancholy of the Adagio for Strings by Barber, whose 100th birthday year we are commemorating; and uplifted by the politically charged drama of Sibelius’ Finlandia and Shostakovich’s monumental Symphony No. 5.
We are particularly eager for you to experience the artistry of violinist Shannon Lee, who grew up in Plano, Texas, as she plays one of the cornerstones of the repertory, the Brahms Violin Concerto. In addition, we welcome the participation of the East Texas Community Chorus and the Kilgore College Chorale, both under the leadership of Jim Taylor, in a holiday program that concludes with an audience sing-along of favorite carols! As a special treat in April, you will hear members of the Longview Area Youth Symphony Orchestra join our professional musicians on stage in a “side-by-side” performance of Finlandia.
Mercury Baroque brings a different perspective to older music performed on the instruments for which they were written, including Vivaldi’s Spring and Summer, from his popular cycle The Four Seasons.
Come to these concerts, bring your friends and neighbors, and enjoy our wonderful orchestra and guest artists in these magnificent programs of timeless great music. I’ll look forward to seeing you there!
Tonu Kalam
Music Director and Conductor