Utah Symphony to Host Several '75 AND COUNTING' Events to Celebrate Milestone Anniversary

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (Sept. 9, 2015) - Through its annual cultural festival, Utah Symphony will celebrate its 75th anniversary by teaming up with community partners for 75 or more special events and performances in venues spread throughout the metropolitan area during the 2015-16 season.

"When musicians are hired to become part of the Utah Symphony, they bring not only their exceptional skills to Utah Symphony, they also become part of the life of our community," said Paula Fowler, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera's education and community outreach director. "They pursue hobbies, join interest groups, and support a variety of causes. '75 and Counting' will highlight the involvement of our musicians and staff in connecting our community through musical events, sometimes by supporting and participating in other non-profit organizations' efforts."

Events range from thematic cooking classes, chamber music partnerships with NOVA, and musical events in hospitals and care centers, to a community fundraising 5K run and collaborative performances on the Abravanel Hall stage. The orchestra's season launches on Sept. 11 with a two-week Beethoven Symphony Festival that coincides with Pleasant Grove's annual Beat Beethoven 5K run on Sat. Sept. 12 at 9 AM to raise money for local recreational community programs and library.

A highlight of the "75 and Counting" festival is the Masterworks series collaborations with five of the state's great cultural organizations including Utah Opera, Ballet West, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Mormon Tabernacle Choir and The Madeleine Choir School.

For more information and an ongoing calendar of current "75 and Counting" events, please visit www.usuo.org/festival

RELATED EVENTS

Utah Symphony is a community sponsor of the Pleasant Grove's Beat Beethoven 5K run on Sat. Sept. 12 at 9 AM. Racers attempt to complete the 5K course before the end of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 (performed by Utah Symphony during their opening concert the previous night), which is approximately 35 minutes in length. http://runsignup.com/Race/UT/PleasantGrove/BeatBeethoven

About the Utah Symphony

Founded in 1940, the Utah Symphony performs more than 175 concerts each season and offers all Utahns easy access to world class live musical performances of the world's greatest music in the state's top venues. Since being named the orchestra's seventh music director in 2009, Thierry Fischer has attracted leading musicians and top soloists, refreshed programming, drawn increased audiences, and galvanized community support. In addition to regional and domestic tours, including the Mighty 5® Tour of Utah's National Parks, the Utah Symphony has embarked on seven international tours and will perform at Carnegie Hall in Spring 2016 coinciding with the orchestra's 75th anniversary celebrations. The Utah Symphony has released more than 100 recordings, including the new recording of Mahler Symphony No. 1 in Sept. 2015. Utah Symphony | Utah Opera, the orchestra's parent organization, reaches 450,000 residents in Utah and the Intermountain region, with educational outreach programs serving more than 155,000 students annually. In addition to performances in Abravanel Hall, and concerts throughout the state of Utah, the Utah Symphony participates in Utah Opera's four annual productions at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre and presents the Deer Valley® Music Festival each summer in Park City, Utah. With its many subscription, education, and outreach concerts and tours, the Utah Symphony is one of the most engaged orchestras in the nation. For more information visit www.utahsymphony.org.

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