LPO 27th Season Kicks Off Oct. 8 at TAMIU Center for Fine and Performing Arts

The Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra’s 27th concert season begins Sunday, October 8, 2006 at 4 p.m. with “Discovery & Experimentation” at Texas A&M International University’s Center of the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Featured soloist will be Dr. Fritz Gechter (Piano) in a program that will include Maxwell Davies - Mavies in Las Vegas, Beethoven – Piano Concerto No. 5 in E Flat, and Saint-Saens – Symphony No. 3 (Organ Symphony).  Dr. Gechter’s performance replaces the planned performance of Dr. Dennis Edelbrock (Trumpet) who unfortunately is unable to perform as scheduled.

LPO music director and conductor Brendan Townsend said each concert this season is unique, but united by the season’s theme of Evolution.

“While each of the concerts has its own theme, the over-arching idea of evolution and musical development links them all. Evolution comes about because of innovations, discoveries and people experimenting with new ideas.  This idea of discovery lies at the heart of all the pieces chosen for this creative and exciting program of music,” Townsend said.

All concerts are performed on Sundays at 4 p.m. with altering venues at TAMIU's Center for the Fine and Performing Arts' Recital Hall and Laredo Community College's Guadalupe and Lilia Martínez Fine Arts Building. All TAMIU and LCC students are admitted free of charge with a student ID. Tickets for adults are $25 and seniors are $17. Tickets are available at IBC Bank (Plantation/ Mall del Norte 1) and Wells Fargo downtown, and at business offices of TAMIU and LCC.

Townsend said the Sunday, October 8 program will feature some recognizable favorites.

“This concert celebrates three very prolific composers who over the course of their long lives used experimentation and incorporated many discoveries into their music, which has led to these works becoming favorites with audiences around the world,” he noted.

LPO's second concert, "Of Life and Death,” is Sunday, November 19 at LCC's Guadalupe and Lilia Martínez Fine Arts Building.  This concert features works by soloist Suzanna Ramo, and will present a program of Brahms, Rouse, and Strauss.

For more information about the LPO or the "Evolution" concert season, contact Townsend at 956.326.3039 or 722.5258 or e-mail btownsend@laredophilharmonic.org

This story by Rebecca M. Martinez, Student Intern

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