Southern Miss Symphony Opens Season
Mon, 09/30/2024 - 09:38am | By: Dr. Mike Lopinto
欧美AV Symphony Orchestra opens its 105th season on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Bennett Auditorium on the Hattiesburg campus. The exciting program, including Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 鈥淣ew World Symphony,鈥 will be the debut of the venerable organization鈥檚 new music director, Gregory Wolynec. Remaining tickets are on sale now at the , or call 800.844.8425, 601.266.5418.
With the opening program, Wolynec chose three works to tell the story of his journey to Hattiesburg. Mozart鈥檚 charming Symphony No. 32 in G, k. 318 is in the form of an operatic overture with all of the melodic genius and grace that the Viennese master was famous for. Nashville-based Conni Ellisor鈥檚 鈥Blackberry Winter鈥 was written for acclaimed dulcimer performer Stephen Siefert. It effortlessly blends the folk and classical worlds in a unique and uplifting fashion. Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 most famous masterwork, 鈥淣ew World Symphony鈥 was featured prominently in the new director鈥檚 time in Prague as a Fulbright student.
Special guest Stephen Seifert joins the orchestra in a rarity 鈥 a mountain dulcimer performance. 鈥淏lackberry Winter,鈥 by composer Conni Ellisor, has a hauntingly beautiful opening with sounds that are both familiar and new.
The entrance of the dulcimer is 鈥渙ne of those moments that you could never imagine but, when you hear it, just feels right,鈥 Wolynec continued. 鈥淚 love to watch the faces of first-time listeners at this magical moment as the sounds of the refined string orchestra mingle with the folk music of the eastern part of our country in the hands of this humble instrument.鈥
Czech composer Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k鈥檚 final symphony is unquestionably one of the most popular and performed works in the entire classical canon. It contains some of the composers most unique and colorful writing. He was entranced with the possibilities for music that he found in the traditional songs of the diverse populations that already defined our country.
The Southern Miss Symphony Orchestra is a study in international relations as students from across the globe come together for one purpose 鈥 music. It is one of the major ensembles and gems in the School of Music, offering an intense performance schedule covering classical to pop musical styles and drawing both students and guest artists from around the globe 鈥 the Symphony Orchestra truly is "bringing the world to Mississippi!"
Wolynec concluded, 鈥淚 cannot help but think that Dvo艡谩k would feel that an orchestra made up of students who have come to join us from more than a dozen countries would be the perfect vehicle to share his 鈥榠mpressions from a new world!鈥欌