Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra

The Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra (LRSO) invites you to its season-opening concert “Dance the Night Away” on Saturday November 5, 2022 at 7:00pm at Hanaway Theatre at Plymouth State University. We return to beautiful Hanaway Theatre at PSU for our season-opening November concert this year after an amazing standing-ovation performance in November last season. This concert features double-header soloists, trombonist Dr. Jared Staub, Director of Bands and Assistant Director of Instrumental Studies at PSU performing a 1995 work by Eric Ewazen Concerto for Bass Trombone; and our 2022 student concerto competition winner Sean Jang performing the first movement of the Violin Concerto in D minor by Jean Sibelius. Also on the program is the short but achingly beautiful Intermezzo from Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. Why "Dance the Night Away"? We programmed the concert around two renowned dance selections – Edvard Grieg's Norwegian Dances, and Alexander Borodin's illustrious Polovtsian Dances which provided the theme from the beautiful composition Strangers in Paradise made famous by Tony Bennett in the 1950's. If you don't know them by name, both of these works fall into the "ya know 'em when ya hear 'em" category. (And if you aren't familiar, Borodin was a doctor and chemist by trade!) The LRSO concerto competition has been an exciting journey since its inception 14 years ago. More than 160 incredibly talented high-school students have auditioned, each competing for awards and the opportunity to perform with the LRSO. This year’s winner is remarkable violinist Sean Jang. From the age of five Sean was recognized as a protégé violinist with a technical facility and musical talent. He currently attends St. Paul's School and among his musical endeavors is currently preparing for a recital at Carnegie Hall. Dr. Jared Staub joins LRSO for his performance of the Ewazen Concerto for Bass Trombone. Dr. Staub is a multi-faceted talent, not only as a trombonist but educator, orchestrator, author, and presenter. Dr. Staub has been accepted to present his work "Repertoire for a Cause – Social Justice Programming for the Variable Wind Ensemble" at the College Music Society International Conference in Bogotá / Medellín, Colombia in 2025. The November 5th concert is the first in the LRSO’s 2022-2023 exciting lineup, which can be viewed at www.LRSO.org. In addition to performing at Plymouth State University, we are pleased to return to the beautiful Colonial Theatre in Laconia for one of our Holiday Pops performances on December 10th. We perform an additional Holiday concert on December 11th at Inter-Lakes Auditorium in Meredith. On March 25, 2023 "Haydn Seek" we feature LRSO's own principal cellist Kari Jukka-Pekka performing Haydn's Concerto in C Major for Cello. We also feature the 2nd place finishers of our student concerto competition, flautists Akira McDowell and Elsie Munsterteiger performing Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Flutes. We throw in some variety with highlights from West Side Story, Dvorak's Humoresque, capped off by the infamous "London" Symphony No. 104 by Haydn. “Gershwin Blue” is the theme for our fabulous season-ending POPS concerts on May 13 & 14, 2023 at Inter-Lakes Auditorium. Featured is LRSO's pianist Chris Mega performing the centerpiece of the concerts, Gershwin's American legendary Rhapsody in Blue. The concerts highlight other Gershwin brothers' compositions and other Gershwin-era songs by Cole Porter, John Phillip Sousa, and others. Joining the LRSO for this amazing event is vocalist Madison MacNeill from the Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative. Madison will perform a variety of Gershwin hits including S'Wonderful, Embraceable You, Summertime, and other memorable American classics. Tickets are on sale at www.LRSO.org. A reminder to our long-time patrons, all ticketing is now online with reserved seating at all venues except PSU. Discount packages are available. Seats are going fast so buy yours today.