LPO, Guests Bring 'Season's Greetings' Concert Dec. 3

The merry sounds of the season will ring in the holidays on Friday December 3, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. as the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra brings “Seasons Greetings” to Texas A&M International (TAMIU) Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall.

Three ensembles will join the LPO: the Laredo Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, the Laredo Philharmonic Chorale and the Chamber Orchestra of Laredo. Admission to the concert is $10 payable at the door. Students may attend free of charge by showing a valid student ID.

The LPO Youth Orchestra was reformed in September with a generous grant from the D. D. Hachar Charitable Trust Foundation for educational outreach programs. The Youth Orchestra includes students in grades 7 – 10 from throughout the city. Directed by well-known local music educator Bea Balli, this will be their first performance.

“We are very excited about our Youth Orchestra program, and there has been tremendous excitement amongst the young members about performing in December,” said LPO Music Director Brendan Townsend.

Also performing are the Laredo Philharmonic Chorale, who for the past five years have found their home at TAMIU. The Chorale, active for over 25 years, brings together community members who enjoy singing each Thursday evening. They join a TAMIU Chorale class to perform together. For this performance, the Chorale will sing two unique Christmas Carols: the 17th century hymn “O Magnum Mysterium” by Gabrieli for antiphonal choirs, and the lush “I Sing the Birth” by the English romantic composer Sir Arthur Sullivan.

The third artist group performing, the Chamber Orchestra of Laredo, is a combined group of students from TAMIU and Laredo Community College. They will perform the Baroque “Christmas Concerto” of Arcangelo Corelli, which features three soloists backed by the full string section. TAMIU students Melissa Trevino, Enrique Alvarez (violins) and Justin Balli (cello) will perform.

The second major work that the Chamber Orchestra will perform is W. A. Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony. This final symphonic work by the classical musical genius gave the world an indication of the future directions music may have taken had his life not been cut short by illness.

“The Jupiter Symphony is a work that challenges many professional ensembles,” said Townsend, “the sheer complexity of the finale – with five themes working at the same time – is a marvel of compositional technique.”

The Chamber Orchestra will back the Philharmonic Chorale for the final two numbers on the concert, a selection of carols and the famous Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

For more information about this concert, call (956) 326-ARTS or email btownsend@tamiu.edu.

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