Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and Chorus To Perform Free Concert of Mozart’s Requiem on Sunday, April 14, 7:30pm

Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will perform Mozart’s Requiem at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich, CT on Sunday, April 14 at 7:30pm. General admission seating is free and the doors will open at 6:45pm.

The Edward and Mary Lord Foundation has given a significant grant to ensure that this concert is an accessible benefit to all of Southeastern CT and beyond. The Foundation had the following statement: “Kathryn Lord, Jeffrey Lord and Joel Suisman, Trustees of The Edward and Mary Lord Foundation, are excited to have offered grant support to the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra to once again bring its production of Mozart’s Requiem to the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich. This free concert is a wonderful community activity for our Norwich neighbors to enjoy. The music, singing and ethereal acoustics provided by the Cathedral venue make this event a real ‘happening’ for Norwich.” The Knights of Columbus have given additional significant sponsorship to make this event possible, as well as the American Group.

Soloists who will join the performance include soprano Carley DeFranco, baritone Gregory Flower, tenor Ethan DePuy, and mezzo-soprano Caroline Olsen.

Caleb Bailey, Executive Director of the ECSO was quoted as saying “We have a strong commitment toward enabling access to members of our community, and free concerts help realize this goal, along with our reduced-price offerings. We are so grateful for this grant from the Lord Foundation which helps us continue to share the music with our region in exciting ways.”

Goodwill donations collected at the event will benefit the ECSO and the St. Vincent de Paul Place in Norwich, CT.

The ECSO ushers in spring with an eclectic blend of repertoire sure to entice listeners of all varieties. Continuing the tradition of featuring women composers, Joan Tower’s work Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, No. 6, rounds out her 80th anniversary celebration. The ECSO co-commissioned the next work for violin and orchestra, Michael Torke’s Sky, a bluegrass-inspired concerto written for and performed by rising star violinist, Tessa Lark. On the concert’s second half, the orchestra performs the thrilling Symphonic Dances by Sergei Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff composed the three-movement suite while overlooking the Long Island Sound in 1940. The work, originally conceived to be music for a ballet, combines wild rhythms and rich harmonies. Now it is performed most often in the concert hall as a stand-alone piece, which is a testament to its compositional strength.

60th Annual ECSO Instrumental Competition

The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra invites the general public to attend its annual Instrumental Competition. This competition, now in its 60th year, was established to recognize the outstanding talents of emerging young musicians through the age of 25. 12 contestants will be selected for the final round held at Evans Hall on the campus of Connecticut College in New London, CT on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 1:00pm. Complimentary refreshments are offered at the conclusion of the competition, after judges announce the winners.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Egmont Overture opens this mid-winter concert. Commissioned to accompany the play Egmont by Goethe, this whirlwind overture takes the audience on an emotional journey depicting victory over oppression. The ECSO 2018 Instrumental Competition Winner, Justin Park, performs Sergei Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante for cello and orchestra. Prokofiev called upon virtuoso cellist Mstislav Rostropovich to explore the richness of the cello as a soloist instrument, resulting in a dramatic and technically exciting work, with much interplay between soloist and orchestra. Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 7 closes out the program with its subtle Slavic themes, and showcases the work of a composer who was full of inspiration from his home country.

The ECSO gathers all of the artistic forces in our community for a joyous celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s 100th anniversary with a concert performance of his Broadway work Candide. Bernstein himself was quoted as saying “there’s more of me in that piece than anything else I’ve done.” Technically a comic operetta, Candide depicts Voltaire’s satirical novel of the same name. Opposing philosophies and ideologies are sung and beautifully orchestrated through two acts of entertaining music. Soloists provided from Yale Opera will deliver the humorous libretto with energy and pluck. This fitting season finale will pay brilliant homage to one of Music Director and Conductor Toshiyuki Shimada’s greatest mentors.

Tickets range from $28 - $62, with $12 tickets available for active/retired military members and anyone under 30, sponsored by General Dynamics Electric Boat.

Two magnificent pieces by Joseph Haydn and Gustav Mahler form a military-themed concert showcasing the orchestra’s talent in different contexts. Haydn’s Symphony No. 100 (Military) is one of his London symphonies, written during and after his exposure to the city. His military symphony derives its subtitle from the 2nd movement which features trumpet fanfares and “Turkish” percussion – triangle, cymbals, and bass drum. Jumping forward in time a century, Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 is his first fully instrumental symphony and begins with a funeral march. A chorale of hope appears in the 2nd movement, and returns to symbolize glory and triumph in the final movement, leaving the audience spell-bound.

This event is general admission, and tickets are only $10 for adults and $5 for children. Arrive at the venue at 1pm for pre-concert activities in the lobby, including a photobooth, musical petting zoo, and many other activities.