Lyon Community Orchestra and Hendrix College Orchestra perform “Welcome Winter!” Nov. 18, 7:30 pm, Brown Chapel of Lyon College.
Joining forces in a side-by-side concert, Hendrix College Orchestra directed by Dr. Karen Griebling and Lyon Community Orchestra directed by Barbara Reeve perform in Batesville, repeating the performance on Monday, Nov. 24 in Conway. Two Arkansas composers are featured in the concert.
Billy Madison is band director of Cedar Ridge High School and has over 40 published works for band, orchestra, choir ensembles, solo instruments, and musical theater. Running From Darkness is the program opener about which he writes, “It begins with a bold opening theme and continues with an almost constant forward motion to give the listener a sense of trying to get away from something ominous without success.”
Dr. Karen Griebling, director of composition at Hendrix College, directs
Crossings, a piece incorporating Arkansas musical lore, including a rare appearance of the “Ivory Billed Woodpecker”.
In a clarinet solo, Alice Witterman, former music teacher in Batesville schools, performs the Adagio, by Baermann. In her retirement, Alice Witterman studies with Robert Anderson.
Barbara Reeve, instructor of strings in Batesville Schools and conductor of the Lyon Community Orchestra, closes with the Vivaldi Winter Concerto from The Four Seasons.
Other pieces include a Lyon chorale performing the Brahms variation on the Praetorius theme “Lo, How a Rose E’re Blooming,” In the Bleak Midwinter, Greensleeves, and Mozart Divertimento K138.
The concert is free and open to the public.
