Conductor’s Corner
The program on November 14 is a celebration of Schumann’s 200th birthday and includes the Cello Concerto, with our principal cellist Franklin Keel as the soloist, and the Rhenish Symphony. The Schumann Cello Concerto is one of the most popular cello concertos ever written and, like the Piano Concerto, Schumann wrote only one. He wrote four symphonies, and the Rhenish is probably the most popular of the four. It was my pleasure to conduct the Rhenish last year on tour in Italy with the National Orchestra of Ukraine. For the opening piece we are performing the very stirring and familiar Copland Fanfare for the Common Man.
Our next concert, on February 20, will feature Lori Hicks, an exceptionally talented soprano new to our area, and I’m sure you won’t want to miss her exciting performance of Mozart arias and Gershwin Porgy and Bess selections.
Letter from our President
I am thrilled to report we had a record attendance at our September 26 concert, and thanks to all of you for helping get out the crowd. It was a magnificent concert and Rachel was fabulous. To see excerpts from the review by Laura McDowell go to the September 26 concert page and scroll to the bottom. If you haven’t seen photos from the concert go to Recent Gallery.
We now need to get out the crowd for the November 14 concert, the celebration of Schumann’s 200th birthday, which will feature our principal cellist Franklin Keel in the Schumann Cello Concerto. Those of you who heard Franklin play all six preludes from the Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites at the pre-concert performance in September know we are in for a real treat. Let’s support a local musician, who started studying in Asheville and attended the Brevard Music Center, who has excelled and is now a fully professional musician.
Also in the Recent Gallery are photos from the October 17 benefit. We are pleased to announce that Maestro Portnoy will be the headliner for a similar event in the spring. Watch this column for further announcements.
Pre-Concert Events
Given that Franklin Keel, our soloist for the November 14 concert, will be the conductor of the Hendersonville High School Orchestra beginning fall of 2011, we are pleased to welcome for our pre-concert event on November 14 a string quartet from Hendersonville, coached by our own BP violist Carla Wright. These four girls range in age from 15-17, and I’m sure you won’t want to miss string quartet literature as performed by these young musicians. The event takes place on November 14 from 2-2:30pm in Scott Commons.
Tickets
Our three-concert season ticket is still available at a cost of $65. Any three concerts of the season may be chosen for the three-concert season ticket, and we encourage those of you who winter elsewhere or don’t like to drive during the winter months to purchase this option so that you can 1) save money over individual ticket prices and 2) be guaranteed the same seat for each concert. Please call the office at (828) 884-4221 if you would like the three pick.
The office at 351 South Caldwell Street, Brevard will be open for ticket sales from 10AM to 1PM on the following dates: November 3, 5, 10, 12
