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The Rockbridge Symphony kicks off its 2023-24 season with a concert on Saturday, Nov. 18, at 5 p.m. at Lexington Presbyterian Church.
The concert will feature a wide selection of crowd favorites, including Brahms “Hungarian Dance numbers 5 and 6,” Grieg’s “Wedding Day at Troldhaugen,” and Mussorgsky’s “Great Gate of Kiev.”
Concertmaster and local Suzuki violin teacher Nonie Reesor will be featured as the guest soloist in Ravel’s “Tzigane,” a rhapsodic piece that premiered in London in 1924.
Encouraged by the success of last fall’s opening concert, this concert will again be “sensory- friendly” and performed in partnership with Rockbridge Area Community Services Board. The purpose of this partnership is to provide a safe and comfortable space for all audience members, including those with special sensory processing needs.
“Traditional symphony concerts can be challenging experiences for people who become uncomfortable or overwhelmed with loud sounds, bright lights, crowds, or having to sit quietly for a long period of time,” said Jack Bissett, president of the Rockbridge Symphony Steering Committee and percussionist.
He further explained, “A sensory-friendly atmosphere sends the message to all interested concertgoers that they are welcome. We had heard some concern about it being disruptive for other audience members and musicians, but it really wasn’t at all. We heard great feedback from many people.”
Dr. Yi-Ping Chen, Rockbridge Symphony music director, added, “We are thrilled to have the companionship of Rockbridge Area Community Services to bring back the sensory- friendly concert this November. Besides providing a safe space for our audience to enjoy music in their own way, we are presenting pairings of two different composers’ perspectives on the same subject. We will also feature our beloved concertmaster, Nonie Reesor, as she shines with free-spirited flair in Ravel’s Tzigane.”
The ticket prices for the Nov. 18 concert are $5 for students and $10 for all others. Tickets can be purchased at the door with cash, through www.rockbridgesymphony.org, or at these downtown merchants: University Florist, Cheese to You, Artists in Cahoots, or Sugar Maple Trading Company. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m.
The Rockbridge Symphony plans two more concerts. A “Pops and Dance” concert will feature popular dance music songs and will encourage audience dancing on Feb. 24 at Washington and Lee University’s Wilson Hall. On May 4 at Lexington Presbyterian Church, the final concert will feature Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4.”
