LPO Performs ‘Gems’ in Final Season Concert Sunday

The award-winning Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra’s (LPO) concert series will conclude its 30th Anniversary season “Musical Pearls” with the concert, “Laredo’s Own Gems,” Sunday, May 2 at 3 p.m. at Texas A&M International University’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Tickets are available at the door and are $25 for adults and $17 for seniors. Student admission is free with student ID.

The concert will bring together the artistic talents of the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Laredo Philharmonic Chorale, the United High School Choir, TAMIU Choirs, vocalists Suzanne Ramo and Joseph Crabtree as well as the winner of the first Laredo Concerto Competition, Sih Yao Huang – a student of Dr. Susan Berdahl at TAMIU.

The program opens with the exciting and well-known tone poem “Les Preludes” by Franz List. This is followed by Poem for Flute and Orchestra by Charles Tomlinson Griffes. The first half of the program concludes with “Laredo” (Paso Doble) by Clifton Williams.

“The Laredo Paso Doble will be familiar to many, many people in this community,” said Maestro Townsend, “It was commissioned by Elmo López and the Martin H.S. Band in 1964 and has been played all over town since then. And in 1964 when Williams came to the premiere the city named May 4, 1964, 'Clifton Williams Day!' ”

The Coronation Mass in C Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, will be performed in the second half of the concert and includes singers from the Laredo Philharmonic Chorale, United H.S. Choir and TAMIU Chamber Singers. Joining them will be Suzanne Ramo, soprano; Cindy Sadler, Mezzo; Eric Schmidt, tenor and Joseph Crabtree, baritone.

“This is the same work that United H.S. choir will be performing in Carnegie Hall in June,” said Paul Foster of United High School, “We are very excited to be singing it with the LPO this weekend.”

Also at the concert, TAMIU will announce its 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients. Nominations were submitted by colleagues, friends and family members. Recipients were chosen based on several criteria including humanitarian services, achievements and accomplishments, volunteerism, involvement in TAMIU–sponsored events and programs, contributions toward the Alumni Association scholarship fund and display of positive images of TAMIU in their respective communities.

For more information on the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, please call 326.3042 or e-mail laredophilharmonic@gmail.com

For more on the 2010 Distinguished Alumni Awards, please contact the Office for Institutional Advancement at 326.4483, e-mail candy.hein@tamiu.edu or visit offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 262.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu