2008 Year in Review

Symphony to Celebrate Composer - Youth and Spring

A composer, a young artist and springtime have captured the imagination of Clinton Symphony Orchestra in preparation for their concert at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 12 in Vernon Cook Theater at Clinton High School.

First is celebration of the centennial year of the birth of American composer Leroy Anderson, who spent much of his lifetime writing delightful pieces for the Boston Pops Orchestra. Conductor Brian Dollinger has chosen three of his miniature masterpieces for this concert, including Bugler's Holiday, The Waltzing Cat, and Blue Tango. The Symphony's trumpet section will be featured for the first of these, and dancers from Clinton's Contemporary Ballet in the other two.

Saxophonist Matthew Hulteen, who was selected from the Symphony's annual Young Artist Auditions, will perform as soloist in Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra by Paul Creston. Matthew is a junior at Sterling High School, and a student of Brandi Spreeman of Sterling. The Auditions are open to all high school musicians in the Clinton Symphony's service area.

And finally, Spring! To celebrate, Dollinger will lead the orchestra in the Symphony No. 1 by Robert Schumann, known as the "Spring Symphony." Schumann had been known as a composer of small, intimate salon works, but after his marriage, wife Clara saw greater possibilities for his genius, and pressed him to widen his scope. One of the first results was this bright and optimistic work.

The concert ends the regular season for the orchestra, the first with Dollinger as Music Director and Conductor. "Brian has brought a wealth of musical experience and an engaging spirit to the orchestra," Board President Dr. Robert Engelson has noted. Plans are already in progress to build on the successes of this season.

In honor of the student soloist, all students will be admitted free to this concert. Admission for adults is $12, with advance tickets and maps to the concert site available at England Music Center in Clinton, Fitzgerald Pharmacy in Morrison, and Grummert's Hardware in Sterling, as well as at the door the night of the concert.

Extensive program notes for the music and composers on this concert and a map to the venue can be found on the Symphony's website.

Special funding for the Young Artist performance has been provided by the Clinton and Sterling offices of U. S. Bank, and the entire season has been partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
April 1, 2008