Fox Valley Orchestra's concerto competition winner to perform at Jan. 23 concert
The Fox Valley Orchestra, with music director Stephen Squires, continues its 2021-22 season with "Soulful Expressions" on Sunday, Jan. 23, at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre.
The concert will start at 3 p.m. at the arts center, 1250 W. Wilson St. Online tickets are $20, $16 for students/seniors or $12 for kids, age 8 or younger; fees not included. Tickets by box office or phone are $24, $20 or $16, plus fees. For tickets, visit www.bataviafineartscentre.org or call (630) 937-8930.
In a concert full of delight and discovery, the Fox Valley Orchestra starts with the delightful ballet music by Delibes, his suite from "Coppelia."
The discoveries begin with Fox Valley Orchestra's concerto competition winner Esme Aria-Kim, who will perform the first movement of Sibelius' haunting "Violin Concerto."
The concert concludes with Florence Price's "Symphony No. 3."
Written at the height of the Great Depression, Price's music is both tuneful and powerful. She has the distinction of being the first black woman composer to have her music performed by a major American orchestra.
On Sunday, March 12, the Fox Valley Orchestra will perform "Tell the Story" at 3 p.m. at the fine arts center.
Utilizing narration with each piece, the FVO performs Dukas' "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (made famous by Disney in "Fantasia"), Mendelssohn's Suite from Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and concludes with Deems Taylor's "Through the Looking Glass," colorful music inspired by Lewis Carroll's fantastical Alice in Wonderland. This concert is fun for all ages.
Wrapping the season, the Fox Valley Orchestra and Chorus join forces to reflect and remember what the world has experienced in the last two years. Inherent in Brahm's "Requiem" is not only music that is compelling and powerful, but also the message of hope and of a kind and charitable humanity. The concert will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Marmion Abbey in Aurora.
Remember those across the globe who have been lost to this world with music that is certain to soothe and uplift us all.
Learn more at www.foxvalleyorchestra.org.
The orchestra also will be performing a "Summer Pops Series," featuring "Rhapsody in Pops" at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 19; "Cool Trumpet HOT" at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10; "Broadway in Love" on July 24; and "Calypso Summer" on Aug. 7. All of the "Summer Pop Series" concerts will be at 3 p.m. Sundays.