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Northwest Festival Orchestra to present 'Summer Sonic Spectacular'

The Northwest Festival Orchestra, under the direction of Resident Conductor Dr. Verne Schwager, has announced its upcoming concert Summer Sonic Spectacular in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the orchestra 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 30, in the Performing Arts Center at Harper College in Palatine.

The highlight will be a performance of the monumental "Third Symphony" of Gustav Mahler, with augmented orchestra, stellar contralto and soprano soloists Lindsey Baer and Angela DeVenuto, and women's and children's choruses. In addition, a trumpet offstage soloist joins the group in what promises to be an unique performance involving almost 100 performers of a work never before performed in the Northwest suburbs.

This complex and interwoven masterwork, dating from the years 1896-99, is comprised of six movements and is over an hour and a half in length as originally composed. The orchestra will perform an abridged version, lasting nearly an hour. The augmented orchestra features extra brass and woodwinds as well as a full percussion battery including two sets of timpani.

The work begins with a bold and vigorous statement ("Summer Marches In") and after extensive development concludes with a brilliant allegro. The second movement is a graceful minuet featuring the strings and the solo violin. The third movement is a type of scherzo including an offstage trumpet playing a folklore type ballad. The somber fourth movement features the contralto solo, intoning poetry by Friedrich Nietzsche, while the fifth movement features the vocal soloists, chorus, and the children's choir. The final movement is a hymn that celebrates "What love tells me" through a stately chorale that persistently builds and finally becomes exultant at conclusion.

The concert also will include brief American works by Stravinsky and Bernstein, as well as a patriotic tribute to America.

The orchestra is comprised of talented younger professional musicians embarking on their careers, modeled on the concept of the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida.

For information and to purchase tickets, email festorch@aol.com or call (847) 392-9003.

If you go

Who: Northwest Festival Orchestra

What: Summer Sonic Spectacular

When: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 30

Tickets: $35, $25 senior, $20 student

Online: festorch@aol.com

Location: Harper College Performing Arts Center, 1200 West Algonquin Road, Palatine

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