FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra Presents “A Night in Vienna” at the Garde Arts Center

New London, CT – The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Toshiyuki Shimada invites audiences to experience the elegance and grandeur of the Viennese classical tradition with “A Night in Vienna” on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the historic Garde Arts Center in New London.

This exceptional evening features masterworks from three titans of classical music: Mozart’s spirited Symphony No. 36 “Linz,” Haydn’s lyrical Cello Concerto in D, and Beethoven’s triumphant Symphony No. 4.

The concert will highlight ECSO’s own Principal Cellist Amy Ward Butler as soloist in Haydn’s beloved Cello Concerto in D. Known for its brilliant technical demands and singing melodic lines, this concerto showcases the cello’s expressive range and has been a cornerstone of the repertoire since its rediscovery in the 20th century.

Mozart’s Symphony No. 36, nicknamed “Linz” after the Austrian city where it was hastily composed in just four days, opens the program with its characteristic charm and sophistication. The evening concludes with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, a work that Robert Schumann famously described as “a slender Greek maiden between two Norse giants”—referring to Beethoven’s Third and Fifth Symphonies.

Featured Artist: Amy Ward Butler, ECSO Principal Cello

New Jersey-based cellist Amy Ward Butler has a decidedly new twist on a very old instrument. With her vision for rich, multi-layered cello ensemble arrangements and original compositions, Amy hopes to bring her love of these dramatic sounds to a larger and larger audience and to provide cello choirs with accessible material that capitalize on the full vocal range of the instrument. 

Her interest in vocal music stems from early experiences with opera orchestras; the very first was Verdi’s “Falstaff” with a small New Jersey company when she was still in high school. As a student at the Eastman School of Music, she participated in a summer festival, the Heidelberg Schloss-Spiele, which featured opera performances in the courtyard of the castle. Another concert during that summer in Germany was a performance of Haydn’s “Creation” at the monastery where “The Name of the Rose” was filmed. Very picturesque!

Amy earned two degrees from Eastman, studying with Steven Doane and Paul Katz. While a grad student, she was Mr. Doane’s teaching assistant and the cellist with The Olivier Trio, Eastman’s first piano trio-in-residence, which performed in Rochester and New York City, and competed in the Fischoff Competition. (They didn’t win, but they did get their picture in the South Bend paper.) She spent four summers at Tanglewood where she had the opportunity to play for Joel Krosnick of the Juilliard Quartet and Yo-yo Ma in a variety of master classes, including a rare chance to perform “Schelomo” with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. Conductors she performed under included Kurt Masur, Seiji Ozawa and Leonard Bernstein.

Her professional road led down years of free-lance work throughout the Mid-Atlantic. It started with the predictable struggling-artist jobs in retail and waitressing, proving that just because you love the food doesn’t mean you’ll be any good at serving it to other people. Eventually, she was able to break into the worlds of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Baltimore Opera Company, Harrisburg Symphony, Sundays at Three, Philadelphia Orchestra, McLean Orchestra, Eclipse Chamber Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra and IBIS: A Chamber Music Society. Ultimately, she found a home with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra where she performed for 12 years with a variety of ballet companies, the Kennedy Center Honors, and the Washington National Opera.

Times change, and conditions change. She left the job and returned home to New Jersey, where she carried on free-lancing, playing with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre, Opera Theatre Montclair, Papermill Playhouse, the Montclair Orchestra and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center.. In 2019, Amy became the principal cellist of the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra, and in 2024 became the principal cellist of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. She has recently been composing her own compositions and arranging a capella choral works for cello ensembles of various sizes, many of which she performs with her cello quartet, The Tapestry Ensemble.

Amy lives with her family and more cats than anyone intended. She plays on a Raffaele and Antonio Gagliano cello made in Napoli in the early 1800’s. 

Event Details:

• What: Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra: “A Night in Vienna”
• When: Saturday, January 24, 2026, 7:30 PM
• Where: Garde Arts Center, 325 State Street, New London, CT
• Tickets: $32 to $84 plus fees

About the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra 

The Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra’s mission is to inspire, educate, and connect communities through live orchestral music. Under Toshiyuki Shimada’s distinguished leadership, the ECSO has become a cornerstone of the region’s cultural landscape, presenting world-class performances that bring together exceptional musicians and devoted audiences.

Contact

For season tickets and complete program information, visit ectsymphony.com or call (860) 443-2876.

For single tickets go to gardearts.org.

Media Contact:
Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra
Phone: (860) 443-2876
Website: ectsymphony.com
Email: [email protected]