National Symphony Orchestra coming to Fayetteville
Posted on Thursday, July 3, 2008
It was news that was hard to keep secret, but for two months members of the North Arkansas Symphony did just that.
On Wednesday, that secret finally came out: The Fayetteville-based symphony will host the National Symphony Orchestra during a March 30 performance at the Walton Arts Center as part of an Arkansas tour for the national ensemble's 2009 American Residency from March 24-31.
"It's been very hard to keep quiet because we've been so excited," said Karen Kapella, who serves on the North Arkansas Symphony board. "Now we can shout it from the rooftops."
As part of a string of about 150 educational appearances and performances across the state, the national orchestra, which was invited by the Arkansas Arts Council, will perform four pieces at the arts center as part of the last installment of a six-concert stretch: the overture to "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg "by Richard Wagner," Serenade"by Hungarian composer Leo Weiner, Three Dance Episodes from "On The Town"by Leonard Bernstein and "Symphony No. 7 "by Antonin Dvorak.
"It's obviously an honor for Northwest Arkansas, the region and the North Arkansas Symphony to be able to have a symphony of that stature play here," said Jodi Beznoska, the communications director at the Walton Arts Center.
The orchestra will begin its journey March 24 in Jonesboro's Fowler Center on the Arkansas State University campus. It then will head to Helena's Lily Peter Auditorium at Phillips College for a regular performance March 25 followed by a youth concert March 26. The tour will continue at Conway's Reynolds Performance Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus on March 28, then Little Rock's Robinson Center Music Hall on March 29, and finally Fayetteville.
Proceeds of the events will aid local arts organizations, including the North Arkansas Symphony, which had to cancel its April 12 season-finale concert for financial reasons.
Kapella's other title with the symphony is that of transformation task force chair, where she is responsible for leading the efforts to stabilize the symphony financially while reinventing its image in Northwest Arkansas. The recent announcement will help both causes, she said.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for us and our community," Kapella said. "Not only will this provide a wonderful, cultural experience for our community, in addition it will be a great source of revenue for our orchestra."
The cost of tickets and when they will be available have not been determined, Kapella said.
The North Arkansas Symphony will perform tonight at Arvest Ballpark to fireworks following the conclusion of the 6 p.m. game between the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the San Antonio Missions.
The National Symphony Orchestra will take part Friday in "A Capitol Fourth"on the West Lawn of the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C. The concert, which will include performances by Huey Lewis and the News, Taylor Hicks, and Jerry Lee Lewis, will be aired live at 7 p.m. on the Public Broadcasting Service.
The National Symphony Orchestra residency receives its funding from the Kennedy Center through a grant from the U. S. Department of Education. The orchestra accepts only one invitation every year as a way to be an ambassador for the music it plays. South Carolina was the chosen state in 2008.
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