Celloist, Matthew Allen, 2008 Young Artists Competition Winner, performs Variations On A Rococo Theme at the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra's season finale.

LSO season ends with a flourish

by David Kocsis

     Aptly named, this program, “The Joys of Spring”, for surely one of the joys for listeners of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra under the capable baton of Maestro Patricio Cobos had to be attending this program. The primary duty of the music reviewer is to find the virtues in a live performance. Fortunately, this performance had many

     The program opened with the overture to “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss, Jr. “Die Fledermaus: (lit. “The Flying Mouse” which translates in English to “The Bat”) is the quintessential statement of Viennese music in the mid 1800’s. Everyone knows of Johann Strauss, Jr. as the “Waltz King”, and it is in the waltz section of this work that the orchestra really shone this evening. The Viennese waltz “hesitation” treatment was aptly conveyed by Maestro Cobos and his musicians. Despite the rapid tempo taken by Cobos at the end of the work in the coda, the string section was totally in command of their instruments, both in ensemble and interpretation.

     Next on the program was “The Rococo Variations” for cello and orchestra by Tchaikovsky, with soloist Matthew Allen. This artist is a 17 year old performing far, far beyond his years. I heard one of Matthew’s teachers perform this piece about 5 years ago, and the student outperformed the teacher. This was a heartfelt performance, music flowing from within rather than from without. Big, bold sound flawlessly executed from the neck to the top of the fingerboard. Double and triple stops “nailed” without any little “pardon me” slides. As if to not be left behind, the orchestra played its best in this performance. The sound of all the sections, and the balance between orchestra and soloist was perfection. The audience request of an encore was well deserved.

     Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Russian Easter” overture started the second half of the program. The opening section is a dialogue between several solo instruments. I missed the dialogue. It was more of a little piece of this and a little piece of that glued together rather than a through-played line. Once the allegro section began, the work took on a life of its own, and the strings performed surely and seemed to convey to the audience that this is not as hard as it sounds. But, be assured, it is! The tempo was a bit slower than this listener is used to hearing, but better to be slower and accurate than fast and slip-shod. Nearing the midpoint, it occurred to me, “who is going to sing the chant” in that wonderful Russian bass voice? Not to worry, the trombone handled it quite capably, but it still missed that “je ne sais qua” of a true Russian Easter performance.

     We all went back to High School graduation with the final selection of the evening, Sir Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance March, No. 1. After giving their all in the Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, the brass and winds were a little tired, and the work opened slower than Maestro Cobos would have liked, but he corrected that in later passages.

     The orchestra capped off the evening with an encore of its own, the very popular “Radetsky March” of Johann Strauss, Jr., complete with audience participation of clapping on the strong beats of the march.

     The citizens of LaGrange are to be highly commended for their support of this wonderful artistic venue. The string section, in particular, would be the envy of many more-established orchestras. We can only hope that the LaGrange Symphony will continue to grow in stature and accomplishment as the years go by.

*****

Matthew Allen, cello 2009 Young Artists Competition Winner

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Symphony concludes season with

“Joys of Spring”

Prepared by LSO Staff

     The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra concludes its 2008-2009 concert series, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far,” with “Joys of Spring” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 28 in Callaway Auditorium.

     The concert will feature performances of Strauss’ Die Fledermaus Overture, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Russian Easter Festival Overture, and Pomp and Circumstance March Number 1, Op. 35 by Sir Edward Elgar. Cello soloist Matthew Allen joins the orchestra for their performance of Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op.33.

      Allen, a student at Florida State University and winner of the 2008 LSO Young Artists Competition, has recorded the Popper Hungarian Rhapsody for TELARC Records, which will be released in August 2009 as “From the Top Greatest All-Stars.” He has studied chamber music with Pinchas Zukerman, Michael Tree, Beth Newdome, Melissa Kraut, Patricia McCarty, members of the Audubon String Quartet and members of the Meadowmount Trio.

     Immediately following this concert there will be a free reception at the LaGrange Art Museum, located at 112 Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange. All concertgoers are invited.

     Tickets may be purchased in advance from the symphony office by calling 706.882.0662 prior to the day of the concert. Tickets will also be sold at the Callaway Auditorium box office beginning at 7:00 p.m. the night of the concert. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early.

      Adult tickets are $25 for Mezzanine seating and $15 for seats in the Orchestra and Gallery. Tickets for students sixth grade and older are $5. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult.

     For tickets or more information, please contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or e-mail info@lagrangesymphony.org, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.

Program Details

******

Contemporary Consideration

2009 SCALA Competition Winners

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Lafayette Youth Orchestra presents Contemporary Consideration
Prepared by LSO Staff

     The Lafayette Youth Orchestra and the Lafayette Youth Orchestra String Ensemble and Lafayette Youth Orchestra Piccolo String Ensemble will take to the Callaway Auditorium stage on Monday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. for their spring concert, Contemporary Consideration.
     The Lafayette Youth Orchestra will perform under the direction of LYO Music Director and Conductor, Lee Johnson. Johnson, the Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Music at LaGrange College and an internationally acclaimed composer, joined the Lafayette Youth Orchestra in 2008 as Music Director and Conductor.
     The two LYO string ensembles, featuring the debut of the Piccolo String Ensemble for string players ages 5-10, will be led by Director Callie Hammond.
Program selections will include works from a local student at LaGrange College, Griff Parrish – a talented writer with a passion for song writing and storytelling – as well as Mr. Johnson’s composition, Suite for Young Orchestra.
     Also featured at the concert will be winners of the 2009 LSO SCALA competition: Pearl Kim, winner of The Ashley Hawkins Award for Keyboard/Percussion Performance; Brandon Mays, winner of The Emily Wentworth Landa Award for Vocal Performance; Lydia Lee, winner of The Emily Katherine Smith Award for String Performance; and Leah Bolden, winner of The Kathryn Mercer Merrill Award for Wind Instrument Performance.
     Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for students sixth grade and older. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult. Tickets will be available at the box office the evening of the concert.
     For more information, please call 706 880-8351 or e-mail asellman@lagrange.edu, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.
     The Lafayette Youth Orchestra is an educational outreach program of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. The LSO achieves its mission of enriching our community through music in part by providing performance opportunities for young musicians.

#####

The Sport of the Symphony

Featured soloist Staci Culbreth (c) acknowledges a standing ovation following her performance  during Tuesday's LaGrange Symphony Orchestra concert.	Clarinetist Staci Culbreth (r) accepts bouquets from her children, Hannah and Sarah, following her solo performance  during Tuesday's LaGrange Symphony Orchestra concert.

A review by Robert Kirby

     Because last Sunday was “Super Bowl Sunday,” I think it appropriate to consider the similarities between a professional football team and a symphony orchestra. We often catch a glimpse of athletes participating in grueling practices on the field but seldom see what goes on in the intense rehearsals of an orchestra. These parallels simply don’t materialize in the minds of most people. But at a concert, the connection can be made. Enter the players who have spent years honing their skills in preparation for what they are about to do. With decisive teamwork, many must play as one towards a common goal. Then enter the conductor, the “coach” of the orchestra who stands in the foreground signaling his players, encouraging and directing to extract the best possible performance from them.
     These reflections came to me Tuesday evening at Callaway Auditorium as I enjoyed “Classical Gems,” a concert presented by the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra. The concert began with the Don Giovanni Overture, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The opening is dark with woodwinds carrying the melody over pulsing strings as tension builds. Then the piece becomes suddenly lighter with rapid alternations between loud and soft passages, followed by an imitative section. A short fugal section ensues and the overture comes to a bright end. There seemed to be a slight balance problem between the timpani and string basses at the very beginning, but this was quickly mended. The woodwinds and high strings performed flawlessly throughout this piece and the brass executed a supportive role well.
     The orchestra then performed Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in Eb by Louis Spohr. This three movement concerto featured clarinetist Staci Culbreth, of Newnan, Georgia. During this exciting performance, Culbreth demonstrated her dexterity and her musicality as she played swift phrases covering the entire range of the instrument. Culbreth not only made the technical element seem effortless, but was also able to convey a great range of emotion. Balance between the clarinet and the orchestra was absolutely perfect throughout as the other musicians played to support the soloist. The French horns seemed to experience some confusion during the second movement, but quickly recovered. Certain instruments had opportunities to shine, to include the bassoons, the timpani, and the oboe.
     The concert ended with Symphony No. 8 in F by Ludwig van Beethoven. This four movement work features abrupt changes in tempo, dynamics, articulation, and chord progressions, complete with sudden pauses and surprise entrances. Music such as this provides challenges to an orchestra as fifty musicians attempt to make all these sudden changes as one. However, the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra rose to the challenge under the masterful baton of Patricio Cobos.
     Every time I attend an LSO concert, I am amazed that such a relatively small community has such a wide variety of talent. I am amazed at the progress our symphony orchestra has made since Patricio Cobos took the helm. I am amazed at the mature sound that this ensemble has developed – comparable to larger symphony orchestras in much larger cities. I encourage everyone to try to take in a concert this season and to experience the Sport of the Symphony!

Robert Kirby,

Detective for City of LaGrange Police Department and a former music teacher in the Troup County schools. Detective Kirby composes music for local groups.

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra

February 3, 2009
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Symphony features “Classical Gems” in February concert

Prepared by LSO Staff

     The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra continues its 2008-2009 concert series, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far,” with “Classical Gems” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 3 in Callaway Auditorium.
     The concert includes a performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni Overture, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 in F major. Clarinet soloist Staci Culbreth joins the orchestra for their performance of the Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 57 by composer Louis Spohr. Culbreth, who studied at the University of Cincinnati and Columbus State University, has been featured as a soloist with the Macon Symphony Orchestra playing the Weber Clarinet Concerto No.1, and has also performed with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, and the Pandean Players.
Immediately following this concert there will be a free reception at the LaGrange Art Museum, located at 112 Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange. All concertgoers are invited.
     Tickets may be purchased in advance from the symphony office by calling 706.882.0662 prior to the day of the concert. Tickets will also be sold at the Callaway Auditorium box office beginning at 7:00 p.m. the night of the concert. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early.
Adult tickets are $25 for Mezzanine seating and $15 for seats in the Orchestra and Gallery. Tickets for students sixth grade and older are $5. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult.
     For tickets or more information, please contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or e-mail info@lagrangesymphony.org, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.

December 16, 2008 Christmas Concert Highlights

Take A Bow

Bettie Biggs, artistic director and conductor of the Choral Society of West Georgia, and Andre Gaskins, guest conductor for the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, pause for a photo after Tuesday’s Christmas concert that featured the combined voices of the LaGrange Civic Chorale and Bel Canto, a women’s ensemble.

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Guest Conductor Andre Gaskins and his children introduce Alan Silvestri's popular childrens classic Suite from The Polar Express during the annual Christmas concert.

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra

December 16, 2008 @ 7:30 pm
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Symphony to feature Choral Society of West Georgia in traditional holiday concert

Prepared by LSO Staff 

     The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra continues its 2008-2009 concert series, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far,” with “Christmas with the LSO” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 16 in Callaway Auditorium.
     Guest conductor Andre Gaskins will lead the orchestra in a mix of secular and spiritual selections, including works from Felix Mendelssohn and Leroy Anderson. Children will especially enjoy music from the classic holiday movie, The Polar Express.
In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Leroy Anderson's birth, the LSO will feature several of Anderson’s classic holiday compositions including A Christmas Festival, Suite of Carols, Bugler's Holiday and the ever popular Sleigh Ride. "It's hard to imagine that someone actually wrote Sleigh Ride. It's as though Sleigh Ride is one of those pieces of music that seems as though it has always been around; just another wonderful part of everyday life" (www.leroyanderson.com).
     Joining the symphony for this special concert is the Choral Society of West Georgia led by Artistic Director Bettie Biggs. Consisting of Bel Canto LaGrange and the LaGrange Civic Chorale, the combined choruses will perform Mendelssohn’s Behold a Star from Jacob Shining, the timeless classic Joy to the World, and other seasonal favorites.
Concertgoers are urged to purchase tickets in advance to ensure their seats for this popular holiday celebration. Tickets may be purchased from the symphony office by calling 706.882.0662 prior to the day of the concert. Tickets will also be sold based on availability at the Callaway Auditorium box office beginning at 7:00 p.m. the night of the concert. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early.
     Adult tickets are $25 for Mezzanine seating and $15 for seats in the Orchestra and Gallery. Tickets for students, sixth grade and older are $5. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult.
     For tickets or more information, please contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or e-mail info@lagrangesymphony.org, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.

*****

Soprano Sewell Griffith and tenor Ed Biggs singing a duet from Lee Johnson's The Spheres 3.6.9, Symphony No. 8.

Music: The Invisible Art featured soloists. l to r Sergiu Schwartz, violin, Lee Johnson,  composer, Sewell Griffith, soprano, Patricio Cobos, music director & conductor, and        Ed Biggs, tenor

Music: The Invisible Art

A review by Simon Seok Hwang 

     Of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra’s 2008-2009 series, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far,” the concert on Tuesday, November 18,truly represented the theme and was special to Koreans, many of whom were invited by the Board of Directors of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.
     After Dr. Scott Smith, President of the Orchestra Board, gave a warm welcome and introduced Kia associates to the audience, the orchestra played the South Korean national anthem, followed by "The Star Spangled Banner". The grand sound of the South Korean national anthem conveyed another welcome to Koreans who were present at the concert.
     The Orchestra moved on to play “The Spheres 3.6.9”, Symphony No. 8, by Lee Johnson. As the composer Lee Johnson mentioned in the program notes, “music can be many things to many people,” the experience that the audience had from the Eighth Symphony might have been different for each person in the audience. At the beginning of the Symphony, soprano Sewell Griffith sang a beautiful song, the lyrics of which expressed the wonder of the universe. Then tenor Ed Biggs walked to the stage comically producing muffled laughs from the audience. A duet followed.
     The intermission swiftly passed by. Conductor Dr. Patricio Cobos introduced “Variations on a Korean Folk Song.” Although the Korean folk song Arirang is said to be “a love song,” the melancholy tune of the song reminds Korean listeners of the people’s sufferings and separations in the turbulent Korean history. It creates an emotional
experience for Koreans.
     The final selections of the concert were Wagner’s Preludes III and I from, "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg". The audience was certainly more familiar with this cheerful classical music which decorated the last moments of the concert with relatively easy-listening.
     The Tuesday concert indeed presented the uniqueness of music as “the invisible art” by bringing music from around the world together and people from around the world into the same space. The warmth of heart of LaGrange community transferred to the Koreans through music, a language which does not need an interpretation and helped Koreans come forward to the community. 

+++++
Simon Seok Hwang teaches mathematics at LaGrange College and enjoys classical music.

*****

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Symphony To Feature Lee Johnson Composition in “Music: The Invisible Art”

Prepared by LSO Staff

     The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra continues its 2008-2009 concert series, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far,” with “Music: The Invisible Art” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 18, in Callaway Auditorium.
     This concert will present a kaleidoscope of music from around the world. Featured will be the colorful voice of contemporary American composer and LaGrange’s own Lee Johnson, followed by the flowing voice of a traditional Korean folk song and the majestic German voice of Richard Wagner.
     Each part of this program celebrates the unique role of music in culture. The concert will open with the second performance of Johnson’s “The Spheres 3.6.9” Symphony No. 8, a work that Johnson has described as “a symphony about the world of music.” Included in this performance will be violin soloist Sergiu Schwartz, soprano Sewell Griffith, tenor Ed Biggs, the Columbus State University Chamber Singers, directed by Constantina Tsolainou, and the LaGrange College Chamber Choir, directed by Debbie Ogle.
     Also on the program will be “Variations on a Korean Folk Song,” which features music based on the ancient Korean folk song “Arirang.” This music is said to bind together culturally the peoples of North and South Korea. The concert will conclude with the Preludes to Act III and Act I of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger, an opera that celebrates the wonders of music.
     This event is sponsored in part by a generous donation from Gay & Joseph, CPA P.C. in honor of Lee Johnson.
     In the spirit of the holiday season, concertgoers are asked to bring non-perishable food to support the fourth annual LaGrange Symphony Orchestra food drive benefiting the LaGrange Interfaith Food Closet. Food will be collected in the Callaway Auditorium lobby prior to the performance.
     Immediately following this concert there will be a free reception at the LaGrange Art Museum – Cochran Gallery, located at 4 East Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange. All concertgoers are invited.
     Tickets may be purchased in advance from the symphony office by calling 706.882.0662 prior to the day of the concert. Tickets will also be sold at the Callaway Auditorium box office beginning at 7:00 p.m. the night of the concert. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early.
     Adult tickets are $25 for Mezzanine seating and $15 for seats in the Orchestra and Gallery. Tickets for students sixth grade and older are $5. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult.
     For tickets or more information, please contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or e-mail info@lagrangesymphony.org, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.

*****

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Prepared by LSO Staff

The Lafayette Youth Orchestra and Lafayette Youth Orchestra String Ensemble will take to the Callaway Auditorium stage on Monday, October 27 at 7:00 p.m. for their Fall Concert.

The concert marks the first performance for the LYO group under the baton of the youth orchestra’s new Music Director and Conductor, Lee Johnson. The String Ensemble is once again led by Director Callie Hammond.

Johnson, the Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Music at LaGrange College and an internationally acclaimed composer, joined the Lafayette Youth Orchestra in 2008 as Music Director and Conductor.

Mrs. Hammond is the assistant concertmaster of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, and also performs with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

 Program selections will include “Autumn” from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons along with works from Richard Wagner and Johann Strauss, Sr.

 Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for students sixth grade and older. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult .

For tickets or more information, please contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or e-mail info@lagrangesymphony.org, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.

 The Lafayette Youth Orchestra is an educational outreach program of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra.

 The LSO achieves its mission of enriching our community through music by providing performance opportunities for young musicians.

*****

(l-r) LSO President Scott Smith presents proclamations to Emeritus Board Members Ruth West and Ken McGreevy

Ken McGreevy, Dr. Walter Murphy, Dr. Jay Simmons and Ruth West were honored for their many years of service to the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors prior to the orchestra’s recent season-opening concert. Each was recognized with a proclamation highlighting their individual contributions to the organization and granting Emeritus designation for their commitment to the success of the organization.

McGreevy served as President of the organization from 2000 to 2002, Murphy helped found the symphony in 1989 while he was President of LaGrange College, Simmons served as President from 2003 to 2006 and Mrs. West has served as the organization’s lone historian during the past 18 years.

Sergiu Schwartz performs Felix Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Sumptuous Season Opener for the LaGrange Symphony    

A review by Rachaele LaManna Hurd

On Tuesday, October 7th, the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra opened its 2008-2009 concert series Classical Sounds from Near and Far with a glimpse of the world through the compositional eyes of Felix Mendelssohn. After the playing of the national anthem, the concert began in earnest with the crashing waves of The Hebrides Overture in tumbling spirals tossed back and forth between the violins and cellos. Hebrides depicts Mendelssohn’s travels to Scotland and the impressions of solitude amidst great natural beauty that the “lonely isle” made upon him. Within the first few bars of the overture the audience is thrust into a frantic storm at sea. The pounding of the timpani was especially rich and stirring as the warm tones of the violas and cellos assuaged the chilling melody that was passed on to the wind section. Such complexity was a delight to both the eye and ear as conductor Patricio Cobos visibly propelled the piece to its finale with dizzying yet accurate momentum.

The second selection, Violin Concerto in E minor, kept Mendelssohn’s travels a little closer to home in Leipzig, Germany. Here the composer’s collaboration with his dear friend, violinist Ferdinand David, led to a beloved treatment of the concerto with insight into what the full breadth of a violinist’s abilities should be. Featured soloist Sergiu Schwartz, a world renowned violinist and professor at Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music, gave an utterly exciting performance. He proved himself a master in the plaintive solo opening to the piece but then impressed further as the clarity of his tone firmly stood its ground amidst the fullness of the orchestra. Schwartz conquered the Allegro movement with great confidence as Cobos allowed just the right amount of freedom in his conducting to showcase Schwartz’s expressivity to its greatest advantage. The dynamic between conductor, orchestra and soloist was excellent. Schwartz flew through bravura passages with a flourish yet maintained a matter of fact manner that was both charming and tastefully restrained. When urged by the audience to do an encore, both soloist and orchestra went back to the final allegro and performed at an almost impossibly brisk tempo. The wind section especially showed tremendous talent in supporting this exuberant feat.

Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major closed out the evening’s travels in the Italian countryside. The allegro and andante movements were competent. The orchestra certainly channeled Rossini during the heralding horn fifths of the moderato movement and the flutes positively sparkled with trills and curving phrases in this and the presto Saltarello portion. The strings played a magnificent role in the lush orchestration of the final section as their bows danced the tarantella. Bravi tutti!

Mark your calendars for Music: The Invisible Art on November 18th. As the first concert of the season indicates, the next installment is not to be missed!

Rachaele LaManna Hurd graduated summa cum laude from LaGrange College with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2006. She worked for two years in the offices of The Atlanta Opera and now lives in LaGrange with her husband, Johnny Hurd, and their six-month-old son, Jack.

*****

Lee Johnson assumes baton
at helm of Lafayette Youth Orchestra 

Lee Johnson

     Lee Johnson, Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Music at LaGrange College and internationally acclaimed composer, has joined the Lafayette Youth Orchestra, a musical outreach of the LaGrange Symphony Orchestra, as Music Director and Conductor.  

    Johnson has composed a large body of works that include nine innovative symphonies, two nontraditional operas, concertos, musicals, cantatas, chamber music, vocal and choral works, electroacoustic music, and he is a recognized leader in the exciting genre of Symphonic Film.

     His highly successful Dead Symphony No. 6 was premiered on August 1, 2008 by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to rave reviews and enjoyed substantial media coverage that included Good Morning America, NPR’s Weekend Edition, The Washington Post and the Washington Times, the Associated Press, Reuter’s News Agency, along with dozens of radio, magazine, podcast, and newspaper interviews.

     Johnson has conducted and produced numerous recording sessions with world renowned orchestras at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London, Mosfilm Studios in Moscow, and other leading recording studios. His conducting credits include recordings with The London Symphony Orchestra, The Russian National Orchestra, The London Session Orchestra, The Taliesin Orchestra, and many others.

     Lee Johnson began teaching at LaGrange College in 1989 and is the developer of the college’s Creative Music Technologies degree program.

*****

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra
News Release
For Immediate Distribution

Symphony to Launch New Season New Season with All Mendelssohn Program Prepared by LSO Staff

     The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra opens its 2008-2009 concert series, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far,” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 7, in Callaway Auditorium. 

     The program for this All Mendelssohn concert includes Hebrides Overture in B minor, Violin Concerto in E minor, and Symphony No. 4 in A Major. Sergiu Schwartz, professor of violin holding The William B. and Sue Marie Turner Distinguished Chair in Violin at the Schwob School of Music, Columbus State University, will be featured as violin soloist for this performance.

     Sergiu Schwartz's international concert appearances have taken him to major music centers around the globe as a soloist with orchestras, in recitals and in chamber music concerts. “Following in the footsteps of his fellow countrymen Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, he is a product of the best of European romantic interpretative style and 20th-Century American technical acuity,” states New York's Newsday, while Le Soleil (Canada) notes that “he stands out as one of the best violinists of his generation.”

     Immediately following this concert there will be a free reception at the LaGrange Art Museum, located at 112 Lafayette Square in downtown LaGrange. All concertgoers are invited. Tickets may be purchased in advance from the symphony office by calling 706.882.0662 prior to the day of the concert. Tickets will also be sold at the Callaway Auditorium box office beginning at 7:00 p.m. the night of the concert. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. and concertgoers are encouraged to arrive early.

     Adult tickets are $25 for Mezzanine seating and $15 for seats in the Orchestra and Gallery. Tickets for students sixth grade and older are $5. Children fifth grade and younger are admitted free with an adult.

     Season tickets are also available now for $125.00 and $75.00. If you haven't already purchased your season tickets for the 2008-2009 season, please consider doing so now and enjoy the convenience of reserving the seats of your choice for all five of our upcoming Subscription Series concerts in a single transaction.

     For tickets or more information, please contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or e-mail info@lagrangesymphony.org, or visit us online at www.lagrangesymphony.org.

LSO Board convenes for annual meeting

July 9, 2008  

 The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra celebrated another successful season recently as the LSO Board of Directors held their annual meeting at LaGrange College. Several milestones were marked during the evening including a change in leadership, induction of new board members and special honors for retiring board members. Outgoing President, Scott Landa, passed the gavel to new President, Dr. Scott Smith. Landa served as President for two years and led the LSO to unprecedented heights. Smith, a long-time LSO board member, takes the helm as the symphony prepares for its 2008-09 season, “Classical Sounds from Near and Far.” Joining the board are three local residents, all with a demonstrated commitment to arts and education. Ashley Hawkins, music educator from LaGrange, Dr. Lorraine Jackson, principal of Berta Weathersbee Elementary School and Dr. William Yin, associate professor of mathematics at LaGrange College, are all active in the local arts community and bring exceptional talents to the LSO board. Ken McGreevy, Dr. Walter Murphy and Ruth West were honored for their many years of service to the LSO. McGreevy served as President of the organization from 2000 to 2002, Murphy helped found the symphony in 1989 while he was President of LaGrange College and Mrs. West has served as the organization’s lone historian during the past 18 years. Each of these retiring board members was honored with the Emeritus designation for their commitment to the success of the organization. The LaGrange Symphony Orchestra enriches the community through music. For more information visit http://www.lagrangesymphony.org  or contact the LSO office at 706.882.0662 or info@lagrangesymphony.org. 
    

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