CANTON, OH (February 19, 2015) - This Spring, the Canton Symphony Orchestra will celebrate the music and life of Ludwig Van Beethoven with a two month festival. Throughout March and April 2015 the legendary composer will be the focus throughout Canton with four orchestra concerts in Umstattd Performing Arts Hall, a chamber concert performed by the Canton Symphony String Trio, two ConverZations programs at the Zimmermann Symphony Center and several films showing at the historic Canton Palace Theatre.
The festival centers around four orchestral concerts, on March 28th-29th and April 25th-26th featuring acclaimed pianist André Watts performing all five of Beethoven's piano concerti. Watts, who is in his final year of a three-year residency with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, will also perform Beethoven's Choral Fantasy on the final concert of the festival along with the Canton Symphony Chorus, the University of Mount Union Concert Choir and the Walsh University Chamber Singers. Throughout the four concert series, the orchestra will perform other works by Beethoven such as Coriolan Overture, Contradances, and Musik zu einem Ritterballett. The finale to the festival will be Symphony No. 9 "Ode to Joy". Tickets for the orchestral concerts range from $25-45 for single tickets, and $80-160 for a Festival subscription.To kick off the festival, the orchestra is hosting a "Rock the 5th" pub crawl in downtown Canton on March 5. The crawl is themed around Beethoven's very famous 5th symphony. Five locations in downtown Canton will be hosts for the evening - Bender's Tavern, Picciano's Martini Lounge, Conestoga Grill, Tapas 218, and George's Lounge. "Crawlers" will have the opportunity to purchase specialty appetizers and drinks for $5 at each location and musicians from the Canton Symphony Orchestra will provide entertainment. Special appearances by "Beethoven" himself will signal giveaways and added fun!Videos