Heritage Fair shares folk remedies and orchestra’s season starts with Beethoven,
TEXARKANA — The Texarkana Symphony Orchestra’s next season will start with a bang in November: the Beethoven concert that was slated to happen in April.
With the pandemic crisis, the TSO, like orchestras the world over, had to reshuffle its existing lineup and reconsider future plans.
But the TSO will still be able to wish the great composer a proper birthday with the new season, which was finalized earlier this week. The TSO’s executive director, Andrew Clark, said even with some things up in the air they’re pleased to have a season planned.
“Of course like everyone else we had to take a step back and look at how everything was going to shake out,” Clark said, noting that when the crisis hit, they were preparing to announce the season. The TSO will follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and government
official recommendations for the season, which adds to the unknowns.
However, the “Happy Birthday, Ludwig” concert features top orchestral performers with repertoire like Beethoven’s “Overture to Egmont, op. 84”: Kiril Laskarov on violin, Brett Andrews on cello and Tatiana Roitman-Mann on piano.
The TSO presents this concert Nov. 7, which was moved from April to August and now to this new date.
Conductor Philip Mann calls it an energetic opener. “It’s a perfect, dynamite, kind of crackerjack opener, even though it doesn’t necessarily require quite as many musicians,” Mann said, noting Beethoven’s birthday is an important anniversary in the art form.
“It is a triumph over struggle,” Mann said about the message for this return to normalcy with a concert.
In looking at classical repertoire, there’s a bit more latitude with how they can set up the orchestra on stage with music like this, the conductor said. And in Beethoven, they have a composer with a broad appeal.
“We were looking for the maximum flexibility to start off with,” Clark said, noting there’s much to be determined with safe spacing of musicians on stage.
The TSO presents “Christmas at the Perot” on Dec. 13, although it’s likely to happen without a chorus, Clark said.
“How all that looks is going to be determined by what the guidelines are for getting back into the (Perot) Theatre,” he said about this traditional holiday concert.
Following the Christmas show, the TSO presents the music of famous film composer John Williams on Jan. 23.
“John Williams is arguably the most important, the most popular, the most sought-after film composer in history,” Mann said, adding, “He’s probably the only film composer in history that is an actual household name for people who are just fans of the movies.”
Mann sees a program that appeals to anyone who enjoys big blockbuster movies and captivating, powerful music — “and just experiences that you can share with family and friends,” he said, fitting a season meant to reach out to new audiences.
On Feb. 13, the TSO presents a concert titled “Simple Gifts,” which features guest artist Anthony McGill, a world-renowned clarinetist and the principal clarinet player for the New York Philharmonic.
“This is a special program. This is a program of music that musicians hold dearly to themselves,” Mann said, “that we treasure and that we are
excited to share with other people why we love it so much.”
Repertoire includes Richard Wagner and Copland’s clarinet concerto. “And Anthony McGill is one of the great living woodwind artists in the world right now. He will be already known to many of our audience members in our public because he was selected to play with Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman at Obama’s inauguration,” Mann said.
Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” is also on the repertoire, an “iconically American” piece, the conductor said. It’s rowdy and hymn-like in its inspirational sensibility, he believes.
March 6 brings a family-friendly concert that resembles what students may have experienced at TSO concerts meant specifically for them. It also features two top local pianists.
“We have two very well known pianists in town, Mary Scott Goode and Robin Thomas, who will be the guest artists for that,” Clark said.
Said Mann, “There are a few things about this program that I’m really excited about, but the first thing I would draw your attention to is how this program fits into this broader goal of our season of introducing new people to the orchestra.”
There should be interactive experiences with musicians and the instruments included, he said. It’s a way to demystify and make the music personal, the conductor said, noting repertoire includes SaintSaens’s “The Carnival of the Animals.”
It’s a piece typically associated with introducing classical music to newcomers. And here in Texarkana, it will include the premiere of new poetry by children’s poet Jack Prelutsky, along with selections from Francis Poulenc and Lucas Richman.
To close out the season on April 17, the TSO presents its “Out of Keys” concert with guest pianist Andrew von Oeyen. On tap that night is music by Glazunov, Rachmaninoff and Mussorgsky.
“Our soloist, Andrew von Oeyen, is a very, very well respected international personality and frequents the greatest of stages across the world,” Mann said. “He also has some local connections.”
(Season tickets will go on sale next week. Tickets are available via the TSO office: 870-773-3401.)