Canton Symphony Orchestra Presents Pipas, Pops and More!

By: Mar. 25, 2014
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If you've never heard of a pipa (pronounced p?p?), the Canton Symphony Orchestra (CSO) will give you the opportunity to see this ancient Chinese instrument. With its all-new concert experience in the works and the Zimmermann Symphony Center opening late this spring, the CSO announced its 2014-15 Masterworks lineup. The pipa performance is part of the action.

"We're seeing increased desire from our audiences to interact with the musicians, their instruments and the concert experience as a whole," stated Michelle Mullaly, Executive Director. "Our audiences want to be part of a musical experience, not only in concert, but before, after and in places other than a concert hall. The CSO is refashioning itself to become a social music experience."

Mullaly indicated audiences should expect to see quite the change next year in the in- and out-of-concert experience. "With the new Zimmermann Symphony Center (known as "the Z"), every concert will have a heightened entertainment experience. We'll offer tie-ins with other events in town, host theme nights, have interactive displays, and just generally change how northeast Ohio enjoys classical and pops music."

The 2014-15 season opens October 5 featuring all American composers with a mix of classical and pops pieces. The program includes Festival Overture on The Star Spangled Banner by Dudley Buck and several pieces by Leonard Bernstein includingWest Side Story Symphonic Dances. Soprano Allison Pohl will be the featured soloist.

The November 2 concert is slated as an Orchestra Showcase, highlighting the incredible talents of the CSO's musicians on pieces such as Vivaldi's Concerto for 2 Violins, Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, and Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Winds. The concert closes with Tchaikovsky's Capriccio Italien.

The CSO will honor veterans and provide a fantastic in-concert program on November 23 with a return of Westwater Photochoreography. The stunning World War I and II photography is choreographed to music including Aaron Copland's Quiet City andSymphony No. 3 and Dmitry Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9. Concert goers will also enjoy an onsite exhibit that will showcase letters written by soldiers from Stark County provided by the McKinley Museum.

The Winter and Spring concerts (January 24, February 22, March 28-29 and April 25-26, 2015) feature Wu Man on the pipa and cellist Joshua Roman performing Antonin Dvo?ák's Concerto in b minor. Then the four March and April concerts comprise the Beethoven Festival featuring pianist André Watts. The Festival will open with Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 and will include all five of his piano concertos. It will conclude with Beethoven's Choral Fantasy and Symphony No. 9.

All Masterworks concerts are performed at the new Zimmermann Symphony Center's (the Z) Umstattd Performing Arts Hall located at 2323 17th Street NW in Canton.

Subscriptions for all seven Masterworks concerts are available now and begin at $130 for adults and $105 for seniors. An option to purchase the two add-on Beethoven Festival concerts is available to season subscribers now.

The CSO also offers a Choose-Four ticket package allowing patrons to subscribe to just four concerts of their choosing. Choose-Four subscriptions begin at $80.

Tickets for individual concerts start at $25 and will go on sale September 2, 2014. VisitCantonSymphony.org or call the box office at 330-452-2094 for additional information or to purchase a season subscription.

Founded in 1937, the Canton Symphony Orchestra is a fully professional ensemble and organization dedicated to performing concerts that enrich, educate and entertain. Under the direction of Gerhardt Zimmermann, the orchestra performs classical, pops, holiday, and educational programs. Parking at the Zimmermann Symphony Center is free.


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