CONWAY, ARK. (April 7, 2010) – Join the Conway Symphony Orchestra for a milestone concert “25 Years and Counting” featuring Conway’s own star cellist Stephen Feldman at 7:30 p.m. April 20 at Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus.
For the Silver Anniversary Concert, Feldman and the CSO will perform the timeless Cello Concerto in B Minor by Antonin Dvorak along with Robert Schumann’s 4th Symphony.
Tickets are available at the Reynolds Box Office, by phone at 450-3265 or toll free at 1-866-810-0012, and at www.uca.edu/tickets. Prices range from $5 to $35, with significant discounts for children, students and the UCA community. Shuttle service for parking will be available. The concert is underwritten by a friend of the arts.
With this concert, the Conway Symphony Board is pleased to announce the establishment of the Conway Symphony Orchestra Archives at the University of Central Arkansas. Archivist Jimmy Bryant and his staff have been working this spring on organizing the orchestra’s historical materials, and will have a display at the concert of highlighted items. Bryant is also compiling a written history of the CSO, which will be available to symphony subscribers and donors. Individuals with items they would like to donate to the archives, including photos, concert programs, and anything related to the symphony’s programs, are encouraged to contact the CSO at (501) 269-1066.
“This concert is a tribute to the many residents of Conway and surrounding cities who’ve supported the symphony during the past 25 years,” said Israel Getzov, CSO Music Director and Conductor. “We’ve planned music that is destined to become some of your favorites. The Dvorak concerto is the arguably the best concerto for any solo instrument and may be the best thing the Czech composer ever wrote.”
Getzov also gave high praise to Feldman, who is widely recognized as one of the best musicians in the state. “It is exciting to feature one of our own at this anniversary concert,” he said. “Stephen has been the CSO’s Principal Cellist for eight years now.”
The Schumann symphony is a cyclical piece with many interconnected themes, according to Getzov. He chose it because of its groundbreaking 19th century innovation of transforming the same themes throughout the piece. “It reminds me of where we’ve been and where we’re going,” Getzov said.
In its 25th Anniversary season, the CSO exists to create meaningful experiences through performances and education. The 2009-2010 CSO roster is composed of both professional and pre-professional musicians performing seven concerts this season, plus classroom educational programs. Through the support of corporate and individual donors, the CSO makes the enjoyment of classical and popular music available to the entire community.
