After almost 600 days without performances, 1 year and 7 months without euphonious sounds, and 13,870 hours spent missing an indoor audience, the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra returned to its most welcoming home, the Garde Arts Center in New London. Our 75th Anniversary Season could not have been better celebrated after having faced such a long period of time marked by a global pandemic. There is no denying the sense of gratitude and joy that filled the hearts of those in the hall to be gathered together in community for a live performance again. Check out the review by Rick Koster at The Day here.

In memory of the season we lost, we wanted to open up anew by celebrating Beethoven’s 251st birthday. Along with the performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, the orchestra also premiered a revision of Polina Nazaykinskaya’s Fenix, a symphonic poem symbolic of resurrection. Music Director, Toshiyuki Shimada selected this work as it aligned with the evening’s theme of rebirth and is reflective of the idea that “we’re getting our lives back.” The concert’s first half then went out with a flourish: Franz Joseph Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto, featuring U.S. Coast Guard Band member and ECSO Principal Trumpeter Thomas Brown. The audience was greatly impressed and enthused by the opening concert of the season.

We would be remiss if we did not say thank you to our attendees, donors, subscribers and corporate sponsors. This concert and all others of our 75th season would not be possible without their significant contributions.

If you missed our concert, check out our program book below and stay tuned for more in the coming months!

The Trombones of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra gave a live performance in the McCourt 9/11 Memorial Garden of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum on Sunday, September 26th. Guests were welcomed to enjoy music in the garden and explore the museum grounds.

If you’ve ever heard them play, you’ll know a performance by TECSO takes the listener on a journey to explore the broad range of sonorities that can only be accomplished by the voices of our four trombones. Among the diverse pieces performed were works by Mendelssohn, Flor Peeters, Simon & Garfunkel, Cole Porter, George Gershwin and more.

Lyman Allyn Art Museum is a space dedicated for local residents to explore art and culture. It is their mission to to make art enjoyable, inspirational and accessible to the people of New London, New England and beyond. The ECSO is proud to have been able to partner in an event that brought members of the community together in order to express and exchange a passion for art through environmental music.

Stay tuned for more opporortunities to connect our communities through live orchestral music at ECSO. We also encourage you to support the Lyman Allyn Arts Museum as they provide ways to enngage through arts, learn more about them at their website.

To close out the summer season, we partnered with the Block Island Chamber of Commerce for a beautiful evening concert at the Sullivan House. We’ll have it marked as the best summer day in our book, spent overlooking New Harbor, soaking in the serene atmosphere of the Island, and listening to the sweet sounds of our chamber orchestra. 

Concertmaster, Stephan Tieszen, led a romantic solo performance piece and  Music Director & Conductor, Toshiyuki Shimada led musicians in well known compositions by Mozart and Bach. It was a pleasure to see the audience flood with joy as they recognized the classic pieces.

We were glad to see so many faces both from the mainland and those of island residents. The money raised from their support is going towards supporting the BI music education efforts for youth through sponsored piano lessons and music instruction. The ECSO is so grateful to have been able to be a part of such an amazing event and even more to contribute to the cause of advancing musical interests all over New England.  If you missed this concert, do stay tuned for more events to come in the fall, and check out our program book linked below to learn more about Summer Symphony at the Sullivan. 

We kicked off the summer season with a beautiful outdoor concert gala at Stonington Vineyards and we couldn’t imagine it being any better!  Music Director & Conductor, Toshiyuki Shimada led 40 ECSO musicians in works by several composers including Leonard Bernstein, John Williams, and Edward Elgar. Local favorite and renowned soprano, Sarah Yanovitch Vitale, swooned the crowd with her amazing voice on select pieces.

The evening couldn’t have been possible without the support and contributions made by our sponsors and donors. Thanks again to Chelsea Groton Bank, Dominion Energy, Norwich Ophthalmology Group, Waller, Smith & Palmer P.C., and WhaleRock Point Partners, LLC! We were able to exceed our goal of over $50,000 with our gala and appreciate all who were able to participate in our silent auction. The ECSO is thankful to over 400 people who were able to attend and we look forward to having your continued support and presence as we gather in new and innovative ways this summer! If you missed our concert, check out our program book below and stay tuned for more in the coming months!

The ECSO 2020 Dining Passports are valid until December 31, 2021. If you purchased a Passport during the 19-20 season, you still have a chance to redeem at participating restaurants. Download the Dining Passport insert to see which restaurants have extended this offer.

If you would like to purchase a Passport, there is still time! The passport allows the bearer to receive a free entrée with the purchase of a second entrée of an equal or higher price. At the reduced price of $25 per passport, your restaurant savings will stack up throughout 2021. You may purchase or reserve your Dining Passport by calling the ECSO office at 860-443-2876. The Dining Passport serves as a fundraiser for the Friends of the Symphony with all proceeds benefiting the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra’s mission.

A year ago today, we were preparing for our concert with Grammy Award winning guitarist, Jason Vieaux, when the state of Connecticut and the Governor declared a state of emergency and barred gatherings of 250 people or more. The rest of our season was canceled a month later. This year has been difficult for so many with feelings of isolation and loss.

Now, as we see more light at the end of this dark tunnel, we reflect on a year of discovering and rediscovering music that we love and want to share. While we all wait just a bit longer to come back together, click below to listen to some of the music that got us through the last year.

Music contributors: Toshiyuki Shimada, Kate Anderson, Caleb Bailey, Dan Brandl, Kuljit Rehncy, Mark Weaver, and Barbara Wiggin.