Hopelessly devoted
Romantic Classics concert to be held Saturday in Yuma
When Veronica Shorr attends Saturday’s annual Romantic Classics orchestra concert, she’s making it a very special occasion with her friends.
“I’ve been attending the Romantic Classics concert for years,” she said. “I am a hopeless romantic and this show is fun and romantic, so I try to make it every year.”
This year, she’s invited a dozen of her closest friends to attend with her. “We are making it a ‘Galentine’s Day’! We are having lunch, and then heading over to the concert. The orchestra puts on such a great show, I couldn’t help myself but invite my friends. I encourage everyone to invite their friends and loved ones to attend.”
Romantic Classics concert will be presented with performances at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Snider Auditorium, 400 S. 6th Ave., on the Yuma High School campus. Cost is $20 per person. Advance tickets are available online at yumaorchestra. org and click on the ticket link to Romantic Concert. Tickets also will be sold at the door the day of the event.
As an added treat, El Charro will be serving its delicious food on the front lawn of the auditorium between the two performances for people to enjoy either after attending the 2 p.m. show or before the 6:30 concert. The Mexican restaurant will be selling food, drinks and desserts.
The concert is sure to please music lovers of all ages, featuring a wide range of familiar songs centered around the subject of love in celebration of the upcoming Valentine’s Day. There will such favorites as “Beauty and the Beast,” “Yesterday,” “You Raise Me Up,” “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” “The King and I” and “Sound of Music.”
Both String Ambassadors and the Yuma Civic Orchestra will perform under the direction of Conductor Janet Jones. Three soloists will be lending their voices to several of the selections, adding to the specialness of the concert. They include tenor Trey Wade, alto Wendy Mckay and soprano Mckenna Mellon.
“I chose tenor, alto and soprano voices to have the music be meaningful, interesting and especially to touch the hearts of the audience listeners,” explained Jones. “My hope is to bring back fond memories of romantic music listening to the orchestra playing and then with the singers.”
She added: “It is extremely important to know the singers are all from Yuma – what a great collaboration for the orchestra, singers and the audience!”
The orchestra’s website states: “Whether you’re looking for a night of fun music or a romantic treat with your favorite love, we have just the concert for your special evening.”
Shorr agrees that while the Romantic Classics concert is a favorite for her, all the orchestra’s concerts are special. “The theme is always a good one and the orchestra does a fantastic job in keeping the audience engaged. The orchestra serves as a cultural anchor, enriching the community through live performances. It fosters a sense of unity and identity, while also contributing to the local economy.”
Shorr, regional director of the Arizona Community Foundation of Yuma, noted that the foundation, in partnership with other funding entities, recently granted $10,000 to the Yuma Orchestra through the latest funding cycle, “underscoring our commitment to supporting its cultural contributions to our community.”
During a recent forum in Yuma, the in-depth results of the latest Arts and Economic Prosperity (AEP6) study concluded that the arts not only enrich the lives of residents and visitors of a community. They also are good for the economy. According to the study, arts and culture are an industry that in Arizona alone generated $1.1 billion in spending in 2022, put $226 million in government coffers and supported local jobs for more than 19,427 Arizonans.
It was found that each person attending an event spends an average of $44.04 beyond the cost of tickets. They may purchase a special new outfit, perhaps hire a babysitter, need transportation and eat dinner before attending the event.