The Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Music Director and Conductor Robert J. Seebacher, announces its 2014-15 season.
"The 2014-15 season of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra features energetic and powerful pieces. Masterworks by Holst, Stravinsky and Beethoven will propel us through our orchestral journey, and we will be bringing some great soloists along for the ride," said Seebacher. "This season is sure to excite and entertain you with vibrant symphonic energy. I hope you will join us for every moment."
"Opening Night: Cosmic Energy" starts the subscription series Oct. 11 with Staff Sgt. Douglas Kost, trombonist and featured soloist with the United States Air Force Band of Mid-America, and the East Tennessee Children's Choir under the direction of Jane Morison. This concert features "Homeland" by Z. Randall Stroope, Launy Grondahl's "Trombone Concerto" and "The Planets" by Gustav Holst. All concerts in the subscription series are held in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium at Seeger Chapel, Milligan College, Milligan College, Tennessee, at 7:30 p.m.
Jessica Miskelly, who has played with Mark O'Connor in his "Double Fiddle Concerto" and soloed with the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra during its recent tour of China, brings her virtuoso violin performance to the symphony Nov. 15. The concert, "String Theory," includes Edward Elgar's "Serenade for Strings," Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and Vivaldi's "Spring" and "Winter" from "The Four Seasons."
On Dec. 13, the JCSO is "Home for the Holidays" and fills Seeger Chapel with the sounds of the season. This concert includes music inspired by this heart-warming time of year.
Pianist Chih-Long Hu returns to Seeger Hall with the symphony Feb. 7. On the faculty of ETSU's Department of Music, Hu has performed extensively in Asia, Europe and North America as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician. The evening's program, "Thermal Energy," includes Tchaikovsky's "Polonaise" from "Eugene Onegin," Prokoviev's Piano Concerto No. 3, and Stravinsky's Suite from "The Firebird."
The symphony's March 7 concert, "Radiant Joy," features Sun-Joo Oh, soprano; Jan Wilson, mezzo-soprano; Thomas Rowell, tenor; and Reginald Smith, Jr., baritone. Two choirs, one from ETSU, under the direction of Matthew Potterton and Alan Steven, and one from King University, William P. Flannagan, director, accompany the soloists. Franz Schubert's Ballet Music from "Rosamunde" and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 are on the program.
This year's season finale is also the eighth in a series of special concerts sponsored by James Martin in memory of his wife, Mary. This Mary B. Martin Memorial Concert features The Texas Tenors. From Alabama to Puccini, John Hagen, Marcus Collins and J.C. Fisher bring their blend of country, classical and Broadway to the stage with breathtaking vocals, humor and a touch of cowboy charm. Self-produced and managed, these "friends with a dream" maintain a commitment to quality, family entertainment for all ages. This concert is March 21.
Season tickets are available online at www.jcsymphony.com or by calling the symphony office at 423-926-8742. Tickets for the season range from $70 to $150. Individual concert tickets are available for $35 for adults, $30 for seniors (65+), and $10 for students. Concerts are partially funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.
