Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.--The Starkville Symphony Orchestra will return Friday [Nov. 7] to Mississippi State University's historic Lee Hall to present a series of children's concerts and an evening concert for music lovers of all ages.
School children, kindergarten through fifth grade, are invited to attend the 75-piece orchestra's "All-American" music performances at 8:45 a.m., 10:20 a.m., and 1 p.m. A full concert will be performed at 7:30 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium.
Sponsored by the Starkville-Mississippi State University Symphony Association, the programs will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the composition of the Star-Spangled Banner and the 83rd anniversary of its designation as the United States' national anthem.
Under the leadership of Joe Ray Underwood, MSU professor emeritus, and Karen Brown, instructor in the curriculum, instruction and special education department, children attending the three daytime performances will become more familiar with the symphony orchestra and the type of music it performs.
In learning about patriotism, they also will have the opportunity to sing along with the orchestra's performance of American favorites, "America the Beautiful," "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," and "This Land is Your Land." Music teacher Kathy McGill and kindergarten, first and second-grade students in Sudduth Elementary School's honor choir will lead the audience in song during the daytime and evening concerts.
Shawn Sullivan, Starkville High School director of bands, will guest conduct the orchestra during its performance of Morton Gould's famous overture "American Salute."
Additionally, the orchestra will perform Leonard Bernstein's "Overture to Candide" and John Williams' "Summon the Heroes."
Along with works from the children's concerts, the evening program conducted by MSU music professor and SSO music director Michael Brown will feature George Gershwin's famous tone poem, "American in Paris."
Davide Incognito-Fiasconello, 2014 MSU Concerto/Aria Competition winner, will join the orchestra during the first movement of Edvard Grieg's "Piano Concerto in A minor." Barry E. Kopetz, MSU music department head, will serve as guest conductor for the performance.
Founded in 1969, the symphony association is a non-profit volunteer organization whose members work to educate, enlighten and share classical music with the city, university campus and other communities in the Golden Triangle region. Producing high-quality musical events and increasing awareness for the arts are its primary missions.
In addition to MSU and the City of Starkville, major symphony association contributors include the J.W. Criss Foundation, Mississippi Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts, Renasant Bank, Starkville Convention and Visitors Bureau and Columbus-based Gildea Foundation.
The association accepts tax-deductible donations via the MSU Foundation. To contribute, contact Lynn Durr at 662-325-8918 or ldurr@advservices.msstate.edu.
For additional information, contact Michael Brown at 662-325-3070 or mbrown@colled.msstate.edu.
Learn more about the Starkville-MSU Symphony Association at www.starkvillesymphony.org and www.facebook.com/StarkvilleSymphony.
Complete details about MSU may be found at www.msstate.edu, www.facebook.com/msstate, www.instagram.com/msstate, and www.twitter.com/msstate.