Keila Wakao To Be Featured Soloist At New Philharmonia Orchestra Season Kickoff

Newton's New Philharmonia Orchestra (New Phil) will kick off its 27th season of "Music for All" with New Phil Reawakens October 30th at 7:30PM and October 31st at 3:30PM at Newton North High School. The concert marks the organization's return to live performances following a break during the pandemic and is sponsored in part by the Newton Cultural Council and The Village Bank.

Led by Principal Conductor Jorge Soto, New Phil Reawakens will feature works by Barber, Haydn, Williams, and Sarasate. The performance will include acclaimed violinist and Newton resident Keila Wakao, who at just 15-years-old has performed around the globe and recently won both the Stulberg International String Competition and the Junior Composer Award at the Menuhin International Violin Competition. Tickets for New Phil Reawakens are available now at www.newphil.org

New Phil Reawakens will begin with Samuel Barber's masterpiece Adagio for Strings. Arranged for a string orchestra, the deeply emotional piece evokes sadness and longing and is considered one of the most popular works by any American composer.

The timpani will shine in Haydn's Symphony No. 103. Nicknamed "Drum Roll" for its startling introduction, Haydn's penultimate symphony is a mastery of innovation from the somber opening theme to the energetic finale.

Keila Wakao will dazzle the audience performing with New Phil for two works from John Williams, the theme from Schindler's List and the Tango from Scent of a Woman as well as the virtuosic and ever popular Carmen Fantasy of Sarasate. For Keila, this will be her first performance with an orchestra in Newton since winning the prestigious classical music prizes over the summer.

Keila Wakao was born in Boston and began playing at the age of three. She was accepted as a student by the late Mr. Joseph Silverstein when she was six-years-old. A student of Donald Weilerstein and Soovin Kim from New England Conservatory, she has won numerous other competitions since the age of seven, including the New England Philharmonic Young Artist Competition and the Junior Division of the Adelphi Orchestra Young Artist Competition as well as second place over all age groups. Keila gave her first solo performance with an orchestra at nine-years-old. Since then, she has performed solos and recitals throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Japan and Germany.

"It is so great to share this wonderful repertoire together after so many months of little to no ensemble playing for so many," said New Phil Executive Director Adrienne Hartzell Knudsen. "This is an exciting program showcasing an incredible hometown talent in Keila Wakao. We look forward to performing for the Newton Community and classical music fans in a safe and comfortable setting."

For this concert, New Phil will be requiring proof of vaccination. Children under 12 may be admitted without vaccination if they are with fully vaccinated family members. Audience seating will be socially distanced and guests must wear a mask at all times inside the venue.

New Phil Reawakens will be held on Saturday, October 30 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 31 at 3:00 p.m. at Newton North High School, 457 Walnut St, Newton, MA. Tickets range from $5 - $25 are available online at http://www.newphil.org/ or by calling the New Philharmonia at 617-527-9717.

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