Music Director's Message for the 2019-20 Season

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Our programming for Season Fourteen is inspired by historic moments and great music that speaks to our shared human experience. In October, we open the season with "The World's Most Famous Symphony", Beethoven's Symphony No. 5.  Da- da-da -DUM.....we all recognize this theme and the symphony never fails to excite players and audiences alike. We can't wait to perform it for you. 

Holiday concerts in December and February will include music from the movies. William Stevens is on the podium for December and his program includes selections from the holiday classics Home Alone and Polar Express. Our French themed "Early Valentine" concert takes us on a trip to Paris, the quintessential city of romance. We will envision the smoky cabaret Moulin Rouge and fondly remember romantic movies where Paris provides the setting for the characters to fall in love. (usually it's an American who falls in love with a Parisian).  

In March, we are inspired by an historic time that was shared by people all over the world. I am thrilled to have students from Arlington High School joining us on stage to narrate Peter Boyer's Ellis Island: The Dream of America. This work has been performed on PBS, was nominated for a Grammy Award and has received critical acclaim from a variety of publications including Gramophone, Fanfare, and Classic FM. I hope to see generations of families attending and using this concert as a springboard to talk about their family history. 

Finally, in June it's time to dance and enjoy favorite songs from Broadway. The concept of a dream ballet originated with the show Oklahoma. The team of Rodgers and Hammerstein wanted to tackle difficult social issues and used innovative methods to achieve this. In both Oklahoma and Carousel, the dream ballet scenes were included to reinforce the underlying themes of these shows and share insights into the characters. I know you will enjoy watching the story of these musicals as told through the dancers of the New York Academy of Ballet.  

It is truly a pleasure making music with the orchestra and I look forward to seeing you at our concerts. 

Kathleen Beckmann