The University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra will begin its season of orchestral music on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. with a Halloween “Masterworks” concert entitled “Classical Music’s Bad Boys.” The concert will showcase the work of composers infamous for their personal escapes, including works from Wagner, Mussorgsky, Berlioz, Offenbach and Stravinsky.
The Fiddlestix Instrument Petting Zoo will precede the concert at 5:30 p.m., which will give children an opportunity to meet the musicians and try their instruments. The concert also will include a children’s costume parade to complete the Philharmonic’s first Halloween-themed event.
“We are dedicated to delighting our audiences both young and old with quality music and a little fun,” said Kevin Bartram, director of the 92-member orchestra.
The Philharmonic will continue its season with the holiday pops concerts on Thursday, Dec. 5 and Friday, Dec. 6, featuring for the first time, Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9 Ode to Joy.” UMW choirs will join the Philharmonic in the piece.
On March 29, 2014, the Philharmonic will feature Itzhak Perlman, the famous composer and violinist who performed at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. Tickets for the celebrity series performance featuring Perlman are available to Philharmonic donors online beginning on Oct. 25 at 9 a.m. Tickets are available to the public on Nov. 15.
The Philharmonic will perform in its final appearance of the season on Friday, April 25 for its spring concert. The concert will feature Philharmonic soloists and music well known for its endings, like Bizet’s “Farandole,” Shostakovich’s “Symphony No. 5,” and Strauss’ “Champagne Polka.”
Advance tickets for the October, December and April concerts are currently available online at philharmonic.umw.edu. All concerts are held in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium and cost $10 general admission and $2 for UMW students.
