Guest Conductor Amy Chang’s final performance with the Conway Symphony Orchestra will be the season finale concert, New World Symphony, Saturday, April 28, 7:30pm at Reynolds Performance Hall. Ms. Chang selected the repertoire for the concert to feature the orchestra at its best while also being enjoyable for a wide range of audiences. “A concert has to have something to connect with the audience,” she explains. Tickets, which are $6 for children and students, and $20-$38 for adults, are available at (501) 450-3265 or www.conwaysymphony.org.
The concert will feature Antony Dvorak’s New World Symphony, written when he was in the U.S. as a foreigner, which resonated with Ms. Chang’s own experience. He used elements of music he’d never heard before, such as Native American and African American soul music. Ms. Chang hears appreciation for his experiences in the music as well. “When you see the richness of the U.S. and acceptance of different cultures,” she wonder, “maybe you will be more accepting of different things when you go back home. “
The orchestra will also perform Britten’s Simple Symphony, for strings only, to showcase the cozier tone quality of the strings, and the pizzicato style of playing. It’s a contemporary piece, but still easy for the audience. The third piece is Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, written to give appreciation to a school for an honorary degree, and very appropriate for a concert on a college campus.
The education theme of the music is perfect for the Conway Symphony Orchestra’s annual Student Night concert. All student members of school bands and orchestras are invited to attend this performance for free, with a discounted ticket available for parents. Students can RSVP on the Conway Symphony’s Facebook page under the Events tab to receive the Student Night offer. The Student Night tickets are made possible, in part, through underwriting by co-sponsors Linn’s Auto, Rose Law Firm, Centennial Bank, and Maxillofacial Surgery Center.
Now in its 27th season, the Conway Symphony Orchestra exists to create meaningful experiences through performances and education. The Conway Symphony presents high-quality, exciting and enjoyable performances each season, with music for fans of all levels. Through the support of corporate and individual donors, the CSO sponsors a classroom educational program and several outreach partnerships, while also keeping tickets affordable, making the enjoyment of classical and popular music available to the entire community.
