THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 25, 1995 TAG: 9510240536
SECTION: ISLE OF WIGHT CITIZEN PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LINDA MCNATT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
In the past, local citizens have been able to enjoy the Virginia Symphony without traveling to Norfolk only in the early summer, when the orchestra performed at Windsor Castle during Smithfield's Olden Days festival.
Now, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, locals will be able to enjoy the symphony in the fall, the winter and the spring.
Thursday's performance in the auditorium at Smithfield High School is the first of what the symphony is calling its Smithfield Series. It begins with ``Mozart and More,'' featuring chorus director Donald McCullough and music director and conductor JoAnn Falletta, now in her sixth season with the symphony.
``The symphony played for the opening of the high school auditorium in April,'' said Jennifer Sieracki, director of marketing and public relations. ``There was such a large response at that event - and the Rotary Club, which sponsors the Olden Days concert, has been so supportive - that our executive director, Dan Hart, decided to try a three-concert series in Smithfield.''
Additional concerts are ``Holiday Magic'' on Dec. 7 and ``Spring Pops'' on March 23. All concerts in the series will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Smithfield High auditorium.
And all but the spring concert will feature Falletta, called by the Los Angeles Times ``one of the brightest stars of symphonic music in America.'' The spring concert will feature a guest conductor, to be announced.
Falletta is music director of both the Virginia and Long Beach symphony orchestras. She also is one of the busiest and most sought-after guest conductors of her generation, Sieracki said.
Falletta has appeared with many leading American orchestras, including the National Symphony Orchestra, American Symphony and with orchestras and symphonies across America. Foreign assignments have taken her to Germany, Spain, China, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Mexico, Canada and Austria, often as the first woman to occupy the orchestra's podium.
She is winner of eight consecutive ASCAP creative programming awards and the American Symphony Orchestra League's John Edwards Award for Creative Programming. She is called a ``champion of new music,'' having led over 60 world premieres.
``She is known all over the world as one of the finest,'' Sieracki said. ``She is really looking forward to returning to Smithfield.''
Subscription prices for the series range from $49 for adults to $39 for students. Single tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.
Tickets may be bought by calling the Virginia Symphony Ticket Store, located in the Plaze One Building, 550 East Main St., Suite 504, Norfolk, at (804) 623-2310 (Southside) or (804) 380-0040 (Peninsula), at any Tidewater branch of First Virginia Bank, or by calling TicketMaster at (804) 671-8100. by CNB