Dear friends of the orchestra,
As we enter into our 21st season, we are pleased to announce that five new
string players have joined our ranks. Some are new to the area, one is a
student at Birmingham Southern College, and others have been studying
privately with teachers who are in the ASO. Two are cellists and three
are violinists, all are younger players.
As always, we have an exciting season planned. One of our particular
pleasures is to present to you music that you would not otherwise have a
chance to hear in Birmingham. You will find that happening throughout the
season, but especially at our opening concert at Canterbury Methodist
Church. Maestro Robert Wright will begin with the "Capriol Suite
" by Peter Warlock. It is a 20th Century setting of tunes taken from
a dance-teaching manual from 1588. The rest of the program will focus on
the classical era with Mozart's 29th Symphony and a viola concerto from
the 1770s by the Czech composer, Johann Vanhal. Our soloist, Michal
Kimber, was violist with the famed Kronos Quartet and also a founding
member of the Atlanta Virtuosi. He is currently instructor of viola at
the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
The Birmingham Parks and Recreation Board has invited us to play for the
Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at Linn Park this year. Todd Norton will
put together a program of music of the season including Leroy Anderson's
Sleigh Ride and Vaughn Williams' Fantasia on Greensleeves.
In February the orchestra will again accompany the winners of the Dorsey
Whittington Concerto/Aria competition at Birmingham Southern College. Dr.
Tom Gibbs will conduct this 2nd annual concert featuring students from the
college and a symphonic work by the chamber group as well.
Hueytown Methodist Church will host our spring concert. This will be Red
Mountain's first appearance in this wester community. Howard Goldstein,
from Auburn University, will lead the group in a baroque Concerto Grosso
by Corelli featuring members of the orchestra and the romantic Legends of
Anton Dvorak.
We will finish the season with our traditional concerts for smaller groups
of players. This gives us a chance to put together unusual combinations
of music, musicians, and instructments. The Mother's Day event is at the
Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Birmingham Museum of Art will host
the June 23rd concert.
As always, we thank you for your patronage and hope you will be able to
attend many of this season's concerts. Our concerts are free, but we
certainly appreciate any contribution you might like to make toward our
expenses. If you would like to fund an entire concert and have the
expressed in the program, or contribute to the rental or purchase of a
specific piece of music, please contact Suzanne Beaudry at 254-3774.