This week is one of those unusual weeks in the ISO calendar
when the orchestra players are just, well,
everywhere. Four
outdoor locations to be
exact. Welcome to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra - al
fresco style!
On Thursday, July 14, we travel west to the lovely town of
Danville,
Indiana and perform at the picturesque amphitheatre in
Ellis
Park. Danville boasts just over 8,000 residents and to my
naked eye, it seems like at least half of these friendly
folks enthusiastically attend this...
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I
love having contests on this blog. Contests allow us to give
away cool stuff like tickets and gift cards. Contests allow us to
get the word out about Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts,
events and programs so that more people attend. Most importantly,
contests allow us to hear from you - our blog readers - and
interact with you.
But when it comes time to pick the winner, I'm not a fan of our
contests. It's the old cliche...you're all winners in my
book. So, I will follow my own rules,...
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My husband and I have been going to the Symphony on the Prairie
since before we got married. We have been married for 8 years.
Though the last few years we had not been able to go. We were
really sad about that. We have a 4 year old daughter. Last year we
decided we would like to take our daughter. She loves music. We
went to te Beatles tribute. We had a blast with her. She danced and
loved that we had a picnic at night. We love the prairie it is so
peacful and relaxing. We would love to come...
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It all started August 8, 2009 while watching the "Mozart in
Moonlight" of the Marsh
Symphony on the Prairie concert
series. I was by myself watching the concert that night because all
the friends I invited to watch this concert were either at work or
had other plans or plain not interested with classical music at
all. I was at that time enjoying my independence at 33 years of
age, single and unattached, living at my very own apartment and
simply enriching my life. Then there was this gentleman...
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After graduating from DePauw University in May 2009, two of my
friends and I stayed at our alma mater working various jobs, trying
to fend off real life just that much longer. The economy was
uncertain, and our futures looked like they might be bleak for a
while. We enjoyed spending time together, but our worries about the
new chapters of our lives made it hard for us to live in any given
moment. Every time I smiled, I felt like I had a hornet’s nest in
my throat. Misery was spreading around the...
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Hi
Everyone:
I have not written for awhile - just too busy.! But, we are
getting excited about this summer's run at
Symphony
on the Prairie. The music looks
fantastic.
Was at Home Depot (kitchen remodeling project and porch furniture)
and I saw a couple picking out chairs and discussing if the
attached umbrella would bother other concert goers at the
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra concerts this summer.
So, we struck up a conversation - they recognized me (darn
pony tail). A great couple -...
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We had season tickets to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra back
in the '80s and went to
Symphony on the Prairie a few
times back then, but then we moved away from Indy and could come
back only occasionally. We still have two daughters and their
families in the Indianapolis area, so last year I bought a Value
Pack so we could all go to Symphony on the Prairie together,
including our ten, nine and two year old grandchildren. We chose
the concert with Maestro Urbanski, and knew right then he...
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My husband and I brought our two boys (ages 10 and 12 at the time)
to see the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra perform Queen.
We put our blankets and chairs down, ate dinner and waited for the
concert to start. Our youngest wanted to go down in front of the
stage when it started, so one of us went with him. Slowly, more and
more people came down, and eventually our whole family was front
and center. We all sang and danced through the whole concert and
never went back to our chairs! It felt like a...
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Hard to believe, but the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's Marsh
Symphony on the Prairie series is celebrating its 30th
season this summer.
It's funny how much has changed (the orchestra
under a tent ca. 1986).
And what still remains the same (our Nike swooshes
and bangs are smaller now, but thank goodness you can still sit
back, relax and listen to great symphonic music under the
stars).
What are your memories of
Symphony on the Prairie through
the years? Do you have a favorite performance? A...
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The
final
Symphonic Hits of the season is upon us, and in fact, it's
the final week of the Indianapolis Symphony Orcehstra's Classical
Season. Next week, summer officially begins with the
Indianapolis Symphony's move out to the
Prairie. For this last concert, we're hearing Beethoven's
final two symphonies led by Music Director Emmeritus, Raymond
Leppard.
These two works are as different as they could be. The 8th
Symphony is bubbly and delightful (it even lacks a slow movement),
and imitates...
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I simply went backstage for a picture or two. Two hours
later, I learned more about rigging than I ever wanted to know and
gained even a greater appreciation for the Indianapolis Symphony
Orchestra's crazy-smart stage crew.
Cirque de la Symphonie is
this weekend (and few tickets are left - hurry!), and there's more
to this show than meets the eye. When I learned that the
aerialist was in the house and that the crew was installing his
pulley system, I had to snap a few photos. Here's the...
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"Give it more vowel," Assistant Artistic Director Michael Davis
implores the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. "A little longer -
really full," he coaxes. "Keep everything going."
This past Tuesday I found the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir hard at
work, preparing for next week's Indianapolis Symphony
Orchestra performances of
Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Watching them, I was
struck by how much time and effort goes into preparing for a work
as grand as this one.
The work starts weeks, months,...
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I'm gladly turning over my blog to our very own Principal Viola
Michael Isaac Strauss, who performs as soloist this
weekend alongside ISO Concertmaster Zach De Pue. Mike and Zach will
be playing Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Violin, Viola and
Orchestra. This will be the first time the pair has played
this piece together.
The Sinfonia Concertante for Violin,
Viola and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 364 (320d), is a work
that is dear to my heart. I have played the work with over half a
dozen...
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I've
been really looking forward to
this week's Symphonic Hits concert for a long
time. While I love the music we play week in and week out,
it's nice when the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra turns to
something that is a bit different from its usual stomping
grounds. This week's concert includes the Vivaldi
Four
Seasons which comes from the Baroque Period in music history,
and it's one that we here at the ISO don't often get to
visit.
The Four Seasons is of course one of the most
famous...
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This year, I am honored to be conducting the Indianapolis Symphony
at
Spotlight 2011, the
Indianapolis Performing Arts Community's annual benefit for HIV
education and prevention in Indiana. Created by David Hochoy
of
Dance Kaleidoscope and Rob McPherson
formerly of IRT 18 years ago, Spotlight has grown over the years
and now encompasses most of Indianapolis' major arts organizations,
all of whom volunteer their time for this
project.
Tonight, the Indianapolis Symphony string section will be...
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Unfortunately,
this is my last week as an
ISO intern.
I have had a great three months learning from the wonderful
people here at the Symphony, exploring orchestral music, meeting
the musicians and doing
lots of writing for them.
What a fun experience!
Although I'm graduating and moving on to new opportunities,
I have a feeling I will never really 'get away' from the
Symphony. I know I'll be back to chat with the people I've met here
and, of course, to attend some of the great upcoming
concerts!
Th...
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If
you've visited the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra this
season, hopefully you have noticed the newest feature of our
program book, the "About the Instrument" section on page six. We
ask the musicians to tell us about their instrument, its mechanics,
its history and what makes it a unique and necessary part of the
orchestra. This gives the audience insight into what is happening
onstage and behind the scenes to create the wonderful music they
hear.
As part of my internship, I've had the...
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The
title says it all. Making music and changing lives is what the
Indy Symphony does. And now, you have a very special chance to
help us change the lives of deserving children.
On April 15, the Indianapolis Symphony and the Columbia Club will
host "Making Music Changing Lives," a fundraising event
for the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra (MYO), and we would love for
you to join us!
MYO is an amazing program sponsored by the ISO's Learning Community
that provides individual and chamber music lessons...
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For the next Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
Symphonic
Hits Concerts (
April
1 and 2 at 7:30), we welcome up-and-coming British conductor
Michael Francis, who was brought on board just a couple weeks ago,
replacing Mark Wigglesworth who is expecting a child back in
England. Michael Francis has made quite a reputation stepping
in at the last minute. In fact he launched his conducting
career in 2006 by stepping out of the bass section of the London
Symphony and into a rehearsal of Shostakovich's...
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Each year around this time, orchestras across the country
release the repertoire, and the guest artists who will help
create it, for the next year's season. This year is no
exception for us at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Great programs abound throughout the upcoming year, including
two major works by one of my favorite composers, Dmitri
Shostakovich.
So much of Shostakovich's music was written while under the intense
scrutiny of the communist regime in power throughout most of...
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