Free Summer Elizabeth Concert

BYRON STRIPLING
Trumpet/Vocals

With a contagious smile and captivating charm, trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling has ignited audiences internationally. As soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, as well as being featured soloist on the PBS television special, "Evening at Pops," with conductors John Williams and Mr. Lockhart. Currently, Stripling serves as Artistic Director and Conductor of the highly acclaimed Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

Since his Carnegie Hall debut with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops, Stripling has become a pops orchestra favorite throughout North America, soloing with the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, the National Symphony and the symphony orchestras of Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis, Toronto, Utah, the Minnesota Orchestra and the American Jazz Philharmonic, among many others. He has also been a featured soloist at the Hollywood Bowl and performs at jazz festivals throughout the world. During the 2008/09 season Stripling performs with the symphony orchestras of Detroit, Indianapolis, Rochester, Vancouver, Edmonton and the Boston Pops, among others.

An accomplished actor and singer, Stripling was chosen, following a world wide search, to star in the lead role of the Broadway bound musical, "Satchmo." Many will remember his featured cameo performance in the television movie, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," and his critically acclaimed virtuoso trumpet and riotous comedic performance in the 42nd Street production of "From Second Avenue to Broadway."

Television viewers have enjoyed his work as soloist on the worldwide telecast of the Grammy Awards. Millions have heard his trumpet and voice on television commercials, TV theme songs including "20/20," CNN, and soundtracks of favorite movies.

Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra under the direction of Thad Jones and Frank Foster. He has also played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Buck Clayton in addition to the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and the GRP All Star Big Band.

Stripling enjoys conducting Seminars and Master Classes at colleges, universities, conservatories, and high schools. His informative talks, combined with his incomparable wit and charm, make him a favorite guest speaker to groups of all ages. Stripling was educated at the Eastman School of Music in
Rochester, New York and the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. One of his greatest joys is to return, periodically, to Eastman and Interlochen as a special guest lecturer.

A resident of Ohio, Stripling lives in the country with his wife, former dancer, writer and poet, Alexis and their beautiful daughters.

OHIO VALLEY SYMPHONY SUMMER ELIZABETH
FREE CONCERT
Saturday July 4, 2009

The fireworks on the Gallipolis river front won't all be in the sky this Fourth of July. For the first time in its 20-year history, the Ohio Valley Symphony will offer an evening of musical fireworks at a free concert at 8 p.m. in Gallipolis City Park. The concert -- the orchestra's first outdoors -- is a double birthday present to the people of Gallipolis, marking both the nation's 203rd year and the orchestra's 20th. The performance is also the culmination of the city's annual River Recreation Festival.

Expect a parade of great American music, including a salute to America's armed forces, Sousa marches, and classics of America's own music, jazz. Joining the OVS and music director Ray Fowler will be trumpeter Byron Stripling, who will honor the country's greatest trumpeter, Louis Armstrong. Stripling portrayed Armstrong in Broadway's "Satchmo."

Singing the national anthem and serving as master of ceremonies for the musical celebration will be Jon Cavendish, who sang with the OVS on its first concert in April 1989. Bringing the night to a triumphal conclusion will be Tchaikovsky's beloved "1812 Overture," followed by fireworks over the Ohio River.

The program is dubbed the Summer Elizabeth Concert in honor of OVS volunteer Elizabeth Davidson, who suggested it. The teen's enthusiasm convinced philanthropist Ann Carson Dater to fund the program. Mrs. Dater has often professed that she believes the world would be a better place if more people listened to symphonic music. There's no easier way than a free concert.

The Fourth of July program kicks off a year-long celebration of The Ohio Valley Symphony’s 20th season. For two decades, the OVS has been the only professional orchestra in the Ohio River Valley encompassing Gallipolis OH and Pt. Pleasant WV. The Twenty Years of Musical Excellence anniversary season continues through May 2010 with subscription concerts at the Ariel. For tickets and more information, visit the OVS Web site at www.ohiovalleysymphony.org.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in downtown Gallipolis.

Funding for the Ohio Valley Symphony is provided by the Ann Carson Dater Endowment. Further support is provided by the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
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OHIO VALLEY SYMPHONY LEGENDARY CLASSICS

Today's headlines of layoffs, bailouts and bankruptcies add an unwelcome layer of stress to daily life. For a night of relief, join The Ohio Valley Symphony at 8 p.m. May 9 for a stimulus package of the spirit.

In the finale to the orchestra's 19th subscription season, Music Director Ray Fowler leads southeast Ohio's only professional orchestra in a program dubbed "Legendary Classics." On the bill at the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Center in downtown Gallipolis are two timeless masterpieces that have brought joy and peace to audiences for nearly two centuries -- Johannes Brahms' Concerto for Violin and Orchestra and Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 8.

Brahms' concerto has been a staple for violinists since its premiere in 1878. Its fiery opening, singing slow movement and rollicking finale -- inspired by the composer's time in Hungary -- are well-deserved audience favorites.

Beethoven's eighth symphony, written in 1812, is a non-stop dynamo of dance-like tunes and energy. From the sweep of its opening phrase to the country dances of its third movement to the joyous whirlwind of the finale, it inspires audiences to their feet the world over.

Bringing the Brahms to life with the OVS will be violinist Michi Wiancko, winner of the 2002 Concert Artists Guild International Competition. Featured as an “Artist to Watch” by Symphony Magazine, Cleveland’s Plain Dealer said her playing “melts seamlessly into tender utterances,” while the Des Moines Register labeled her playing “pure gold.”

Besides her acclaimed solo classical appearances, Wiancko's varied musical interests include country fiddle, gypsy violin and improvisation. She is a singer, violinist and composer for her band Kono Michi, comprising of string quartet, bass and drums. She is also is a member of the Los Angeles Piano Quartet, with which she performs nationwide and a founding member of ECCO (East Coast Chamber Orchestra), a conductor-less string ensemble which in 2008 toured America's East Coast.

The southern California native holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and New York's Juilliard School. Her debut solo CD, "Platinum Spirals," features works by Ravel, Beethoven, Kreisler, Debussy, Prokofiev and Joan Tower and is available online at www.concertartists.org.

May's "Legendary Classics" program is another reflection of the OVS mission to bring great music performed by great artists to the Ohio Valley region -- all while making orchestral music easy to love. The public is encouraged to attend OVS rehearsals for free at 7-10 p.m. Friday, May 8, and 1-4 p.m. May 9 at the Ariel. Open rehearsals are an excellent way to introduce children to symphonic music and for casual listeners to grow more comfortable with it. They're also a great glimpse behind the scenes to see what goes into preparing an orchestral performance.

Tickets to "Legendary Classics" are available through the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre at 426 Second Ave., Gallipolis. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 90 minutes prior to the show. Prices are $22, $20 for seniors and $10 for students. Tickets are also available online at www.ohiovalleysymphony.org.

Funding for the Ohio Valley Symphony is provided by the Ann Carson Dater Endowment. Further support is provided by the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

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OHIO VALLEY SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES JULY 4TH CONCERT

There will be fireworks on stage as well as in the sky on the 4th of July when The Ohio Valley Symphony presents their first outdoor concert on Saturday, July 4  in the Gallipolis City Park as part of the annual River Recreation Festival. The Summer Elizabeth Concert will be Saturday evening at 8 pm with patriotic pops, marches, jazz and other American music culminating in the fireworks over the river.

The free OVS concert will feature nationally known jazz trumpeter, Byron Stripling as guest soloist. Stripling will be performing the music of Louis Armstrong and will bring to Gallipolis his musical and theatrical experience in portraying Armstrong in the Broadway production of "Satchmo."

The July 4th concert is part of a year long celebration of The Ohio Valley Symphony’s Twenty Years of Musical Excellence. The concert was the brainchild of Elizabeth Davidson, who ushers for OVS concerts. The July 4 concert is funded by Mrs. Ann Carson Dater and will be known as “The Summer Elizabeth Concert . . . because she asked.” Mrs. Dater has often professed that she believes the world would be a better place if more people listened to symphonic music. Now she is making it possible for everyone to hear The Ohio Valley Symphony free in the park on July 4.

In case of inclement weather, the back-up location is the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in downtown Gallipolis.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF MUSICAL EXCELLENCE
By Thomas Consolo
 

There were plenty of reasons to be skeptical of the Ohio Valley Symphony's prospects at its first performance. The only heat in the auditorium, from portable gas heaters, had been turned off before the concert because of their noise. The audience and performers huddled in their coats on the folding chairs borrowed from the city's funeral homes. Besides lacking seats and heat, the century-old hall -- until that night closed for a quarter century -- still needed extensive structural, mechanical and artistic renovation before it could be put back into regular service.

Then there was the challenge of building and basing a professional orchestra in a small city like Gallipolis.

The skeptics were wrong. This week, the OVS takes the wraps off of its 20th season. In the intervening years, the group has never wavered from its guiding principles: to bring live, professional, orchestral music to southeast Ohio audiences; to provide performers an atmosphere of positive reinforcement; and to instill a love of music in children through education and exposure to great music. "There was never any question in my mind," said Lora Lynn Snow, the orchestra's founder and manager. "(Failure) didn't occur to me."

The vision for what became the OVS came to Snow, a professional oboist, during an unfulfilling stretch of a rehearsal early in 1987. "I just knew how I wanted it to be," she said. She knew with whom she wanted to collaborate, too. Ray Fowler, then conducting at Ohio University, was a colleague who welcomed her ideas. "Instead of telling me I was crazy," Snow said, "he said, 'Of course'."

Fowler, too, had faith in the orchestra's mission, and he's been its music director from its inception. "I was very clear that we would launch something," he said of that first concert.

Among his most memorable moments were the preparation for the first subscription concert in the fall of 1989. "I saw about 80 to 20 community-minded citizens helping to support the balcony as support beams were being installed. To see that kind of love and dedication and caring brought me to tears,"

Fowler said it doesn't feel like 20 years since the first season — "more like 10" — and he says that, over those years, the orchestra has grown artistically. The Ariel helps; as its restoration has progressed and the orchestra's reputation grew, he said, it has been easier to attract high-quality players. Snow proudly notes that the orchestra draws players from six states and two countries.

Vital to that growth has been the support of a woman Snow calls the orchestra's angel. Ann Carson Dater grew up in Rutland in Meigs County. When she was in the eighth grade, her mother bought her a violin from Montgomery Ward, and she began taking lessons. Her teacher didn't make her into a professional player, Snow said, but he did instill in her a life-long love of music. "Now, 80 years later, thanks to her and that love of music, we can have live music in Gallipolis," Snow said. "That's what teachers can do." 

Dater, the widow of Cincinnati businessman and philanthropist Charles H. Dater, called Snow in 1997. She'd read about the orchestra and wanted to know more. They talked for an hour. She liked what she heard and, in January 1998, papers were signed outlining an endowment. The money was to be used toward better musician pay, more rehearsal time, more soloists, a professional recording and children's concerts. 

Further gifts followed, which funded buying the Ariel building for the orchestra and renovating more of its spaces for public use. "She gave us this theatre as a permanent home for the orchestra ," Snow said.

The OVS has returned the favor: The complex is now known as the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre, following a gala rededication concert on April 22, 2006. Dater, then 89, made the cross country journey, and heard the orchestra perform for the first time.

The Ohio Valley Symphony will put their home to good use during the 2009-2010 season. In celebration of the orchestra's 20th birthday, each program will include some version of "Happy Birthday." There is a roll of high-quality guest artists, including the owner of the Red Stradivarius (inspiration for the movie "The Red Violin"),  the concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra (playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto) and an evening of favorite tenor songs and arias.

December will bring the traditional holiday program. "It has some new pieces I've discovered," Fowler said, "like the Amundson 'Angel's Dance,' which is a shower of orchestral colors."

The Ohio University Singers round out the season, joining the OVS in music of Bach and John Rutter, The series finale also will include a premiere by composer Brant Adams, a Gallipolis native.

As it starts its second 20 years, both Snow and Fowler say the OVS will focus on education and building its youth orchestra. Snow said she hopes to be able to expand a program, begun this year, which saw the orchestra fund a teacher for a strings program in local schools.

SIDE BAR

Here's a look at the programs of the Ohio Valley Symphony's 20th anniversary season. All performances are at the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre unless otherwise noted. Music director Ray Fowler conducts all the concerts.
— SUMMER ELIZABETH CONCERT  (July 4):  Jazz trumpeter, Byron Stripling joins the OVS for a star spangled pops concert under the stars in the Gallipolis City Park in a program of patriotic pops. Stripling will perform the music of Louis Armstrong as seen in his Broadway show "Satchmo." The grand finale will include the  "1812 Overture" and "Stars & Stripes Forever" complete with fireworks.
— OPENING NIGHT (Sept. 26): Violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn brings the Red Stradivarius to Gallipolis for three showpieces, the "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" and "Havanaise" by Saint-Saens and Sarasate's "Carmen Fantasy." Pine's "Happy Birthday Variations," Slonimsky's "My Toy Balloon," Bernstein's "Divertimento for Orchestra" and Gershwin's "Let 'Em Eat Cake" overture round out the concert.
The concert will be held at the Lillian and Paul Wedge Auditorium at Point Pleasant Junior/Senior High School in Point Pleasant, W.V. The OVS helped celebrate the hall's opening with a concert in October. "It's a wonderful facility," Snow said. "and we're really excited to come back to see out neighbors across the river."
The concert will be accompanied by an exhibit at The Gallery at 409 in Point Pleasant. The art works are being lent by the Lords New Church of Bryn Athyn, Pa., which Pitcairn's grandfather, the Rev. Theodore Pitcairn, started and endowed. Theodore Pitcairn was the son of PPG Industries co-founder John Pitcairn Jr. Many of the church's art was willed from the collection of Theodore's brother Raymond. 
— MOZART AND SIBELIUS (Nov. 7): Audiences get two soloists for the price of one as Debra Harder plays Mozart's Piano Concerto in C Major, K. 467, and David Kim, concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, plays the Sibelius Violin Concerto. There will be plenty for the OVS to do, though, thanks to the orchestra's dramatic role in the Sibelius.
— THE CHRISTMAS SHOW (Dec. 5): Arrangements by Leroy Anderson, Carmon Dragon and Jeff Tyzik of seasonal favorites mix with discoveries like Amundson's "Angel's Dance" and Kelly's "Improvisations on Christmas Carols" and Herbert's classic "Babes in Toyland."
— LOVE SONGS (March 13, 2010): Tenor Eric Ashcraft joins the OVS for favorite — and soon-to-be favorite — songs and arias, including "Flower Song" from "Carmen," "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca," "Nessun dorma" from "Turandot," "La donna e mobile" from "Rigoletto," and "O sole mio" and "Torna a Surriento." Orchestral miniatures by Bizet, Puccini and Verdi and Chabrier's "Espana" round out the evening. Said music director Ray Fowler, "It took me nearly a year to put this program together."
— VOICES OF SPRING (May 8, 2010): "For 18 years, I've been badgering Peter Jarjisian — a colleague from my days at OU — to bring his choral forces to Gallipolis," said Fowler. "They're finally coming to help us eat birthday cake." They'll also sing a double choir motet by Bach and John Rutter's touching "Requiem." This season finale also features the music of Gallipolis native Brant Adams.
— Subscriptions to the Ohio Valley Symphony's 20th anniversary season are on sale now.

TIMELINE

A brief timeline of major Ohio Valley Symphony and Ariel Theatre events:
— July 22, 1895: Ground broken for Ariel Opera House by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
— Dec. 25, 1895: Ariel opens.
— 1919: Gallia County Masonic Lodge buys the building. Wheeler family manages the theatre.
— 1947: Wheelers build Colony Theatre; Ariel slips to B-movie house.
— 1963: Ariel closes after the film breaks during last show.
— April 1, 1989: After volunteer remove truckloads of debris and accumulated bird droppings, Ray Fowler conducts first Ohio Valley Symphony concert. The hall has no heat, bathrooms or water. 
— June 9, 1990: Grand Re-Opening Concert. Ariel was semi-restored, with work frantically being right up until show time. The audience waited in the lobby as the seats were bolted in place.
— December 1998: Ann Carson Dater sets up an endowment fund, financially securing the OVS's future.
— July 2005: Mrs. Dater purchases the Ariel as a permanent home for The Ohio Valley Symphony in perpetuity. Her support funds face lift, new windows (making the ballroom usable), new marquee, painting walls and refinishing floors in second-floor ballroom, banquet room and parlors, A new music-inspired sculpture is installed in banquet room.
— April 22, 2006: Grand Re-Dedication of the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre as home for OVS. Commercial CD, titled "Celebrate the Gift," made of the performance.
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BROADWAY!

There will be songs in the air when Spring breezes come to Gallipolis. Don't be surprised if they're coming from the audience as they leave "Broadway!" -- the celebration of music and theatre by The Ohio Valley Symphony. OVS music director Ray Fowler leads the program, slated for 8 p.m. March 21 at the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in downtown Gallipolis, Ohio. The singing duo John and Nancy Williams Shuffle bring the songs to life.

The selections show off the cross-pollination between the concert hall and the Great White Way. For instance, Borodin's "Polovtsian Dances" from "Prince Igor" lead seamlessly to excerpts from Broadway's "Kismet." All of the show's songs -- including "Stranger in Paradise," "He's In Love," "Fate," "And This is My Beloved" and "The Sands of Time" -- were set to Borodin's melodies. The 19th-century Russian even shared a 1954 Tony Award for Best Musical. "These are songs that people know," said Lora Snow, the orchestra's manager, "but they're inspired by symphonic music."

The program also includes excerpts from "West Side Story," the "Romeo and Juliet" story transplanted to the teen gangs of 1950s Manhattan by the dream team of Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Jerome Robbins. "West Side Story" forever changed Broadway, and it recently marked its 50th anniversary. Also on tap will be the classic shows by Broadway giants of earlier generations: Songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein from "South Pacific" and "The King and I" and by George Gershwin, including " 'S Wonderful," "By Strauss" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

Equally well-known opera and operetta arias round out the night, including, appropriately, "Voices of Spring" by the waltz king, Johann Strauss Jr. Expect favorites by Puccini, Rossini and Verdi, too.

Guest artists John and Nancy Williams Shuffle bring a wealth of performing experience, having collectively played more than 150 leading roles in their combined careers. They have garnered numerous awards -- both national and regional -- and have eight solo and duet recordings to their credit. John's career has included orchestral, solo and musical-theater appearances in some 30 U.S. states, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Finland, England and Israel. Some of the bass-baritone's favorite portrayals include leading comic roles in Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio," "Cosi fan tutte," "Don Giovanni" and "Marriage of Figaro"; Rossini's "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella) and "Italian Girl in Algiers"; and Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi." More dramatic roles have included those from "The Magic Flute," "La Boheme," "Ariadne auf Naxos," "Boris Godunov," "La Traviata," "Tosca" and "Turandot." His recent starring portrayal of the Poet in "Kismet" was reviewed as a “Critics Pick” by the Chicago press. One reviewer called it "a glorious theatrical achievement.” As Henry VIII, the lead role in the world premier revival of Richard Rodgers’ "Rex," he was hailed by the show's original lyricist and co-author, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sheldon Harnick.

Soprano Nancy Williams Shuffle has delighted audiences with her versatility and magnetism since 1991 in more than 60 musical productions and countless concerts in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Florida, California, New York and Indiana, as well as numerous international appearances in Australia, Finland, England and Israel. Among her portrayals are Marian in "The Music Man," Hope Harcourt in "Anything Goes," Sarah Brown in "Guys and Dolls," Julie Jordan in "Carousel," Alice Beane in "Titanic," Rhetta Cupp in "Pump Boys and Dinettes," Maria in "The Sound of Music," Cinderella in "Into the Woods," Anna in "The King and I," Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors," Catherine of Aragon in "Rex" and the puppeteering comic genius Sister Mary Amnesia in Dan Goggin’s "Nunsense," "Nunsense II," "Nuncrackers" and "Nunsensation." Her reviewers have glowed, stating “(H)er voice is awesome, excellent … first-class.…”

Funding for the Ohio Valley Symphony is provided by the Ann Carson Dater Endowment. "Broadway!" is funded in part by the Gallia County Medical Society. Further support is provided by the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

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THE OHIO VALLEY SYMPHONY
CHRISTMAS SHOW
December 6, 2008

Stock prices are sinking, auto makers are struggling and the nation's banks are lining up for a bailout. With headlines like these, as the song goes, we need a little Christmas -- right this very minute! The Ohio Valley Symphony is ready to step up with "The Christmas Show," its
annual holiday program at the historic Morris & Dorothy Haskins Theatre of The Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in downtown Gallipolis, Ohio. This year's program, under the direction of music director Ray Fowler, again serves up a tasty buffet of favorite carols and songs of the season on Saturday, December 6 at 8 p.m.

Among the more traditional Christmas works on the program are
arrangements of such favorite carols as "Away in a Manger," "Carol of
the Bells," "Deck the Halls," "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen," "Joy to
the World" and "Silent Night." Ralph Vaughan-Williams' "Fantasia on
Greensleeves" (the tune known better at this time of year as "What Child Is This?") and excerpts from the fairy-tale opera "Hansel and
Gretel" add a more classical tone.

American seasonal favorites follow, including "It's the Most Wonderful
Time of the Year," the "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers," and "Toyland." The night is rounded out by "A Holiday Hoedown."

The annual Maestro for a Moment competition will culminate at the end
of the concert when the winning Maestro takes up the baton to conduct
Leroy Anderson’s holiday favorite, “Sleight Ride.” vying for this year’s honor are Holzer Clinic physician Naci Bozkir and University of Rio Grande Professor David Lawrence.

Tickets to the OVS "Christmas Show" are available through the
Ariel-Dater box office at 426 Second Ave., Gallipolis. The box office
is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and 90 minutes prior to the show. Prices are $22, $20 for seniors and $10 for students. Call 740- 446-ARTS (2787). Tickets are also available online at www.ohiovalleysymphony.org.

"The Christmas Show" is sponsored by Holzer Clinic. Funding for the
Ohio Valley Symphony is provided by the Ann Carson Dater Endowment. Further support is provided by the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.

The public is encouraged to attend rehearsals for free on Friday, Dec.
5, from 7-10 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 1-4 p.m. OVS Saturday
dress rehearsals are an excellent way to introduce young children to
symphonic music.

The Ohio Valley Symphony's Celebrate the Gift CD makes a wonderful
stocking stuffer and a mini subscription to the remaining OVS concerts
is the perfect gift for the music lover in your life.

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NEW STRING PROGRAM AT SOUTHWESTERN ELEMENTARY

The hills are alive with music, or rather the halls of Southwestern
Elementary as fourth and fifth grade students begin a pilot program of
string instruction provided by The Ohio Valley Symphony. Instructor Ian Jessee, a long time OVS member and a ten year teaching veteran of the Kanawha County Schools string program, will be on hand once a week for classes at Southwestern. “I’m excited about being able to start up a new program,” said Jessee, “their enthusiasm was very inspiring to me.”

The classes are available to any interested Southwestern student at no charge. In addition to music, students learn self-discipline, group
cooperation, problem solving, goal setting, self-expression, memory
skills, concentration, poise, enhanced physical coordination, high
self-esteem, and the importance of teamwork -- skills in great demand in almost every aspect of life. Like all the arts, music has a profound effect on the academic success of students as well. Music instruction affects math and reading scores with string students having higher scores on standardized tests and they also have significantly higher GPAs.

The string instruction program is being funded through The Ohio Valley Symphony’s Endowment that was set up some years ago by Ann Carson Dater. “Mrs. Dater feels that the world would be a better place if more people listened to classical symphonic music,” remarks Lora Lynn Snow, OVS manager and a former teacher at Southwestern. “Mrs. Dater took violin lessons herself as a child and she is very excited about the new classes we are offering.”

In addition to the classes, each string student will be given free
admission to any Ohio Valley Symphony concert when accompanied by a parent or guardian. “My teaching experience at Southwestern was very instrumental in my founding the orchestra,” said Snow. “I saw how hungry the students were for quality music and I felt there was a real need for a professional orchestra in our area so students would have a high level to aspire to.”

The next Ohio Valley Symphony concert is November 8 at 8 pm and will feature Halloween inspired music, a perfect opportunity to expose budding musicians to live symphonic music. For more information, check out our website at www.ohiovalleysymphony.org
 

OHIO VALLEY SYMPHONY SPOOKTACULAR

Not all the ghosts and goblins slink back to their world after
Halloween. Some have been hiding in the dark corners of the Ariel
Theatre, waiting for one more night of fun.

The Ohio Valley Symphony's "Halloween Spooktacular" is becoming a southeast Ohio tradition. The orchestra's members — including Music Director Ray Fowler on the podium — trade their tails and bow ties for whimsical or ghoulish costumes as they offer concert-goers a full plate of musical tricks and treats. This year's is at 8 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in downtown Gallipolis.

It's all part of the OVS philosophy of making orchestral music easy to
love, according to OVS Manager, Lora Lynn Snow. "It gives the audience a chance to see that we're all real people up there on stage, and it gives us a chance to show off our individual personalities."

Among the works on the eclectic musical menu are Paul Dukas' magical "Sorcerer's Apprentice" (immortalized in Disney's original "Fantasia"), the spooky "Witches Ride" from "Hansel and Gretel" and Johann Strauss Jr.'s sparkling overture to "Die Fledermaus" ("The Bat"). Malcolm Arnold's "Tam O'Shanter Overture” and the theme to "Ghostbusters" celebrate the ghoulish holiday.

There are two beloved excerpts from Grieg's "Peer Gynt," "Ase's Death" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King." A medley of tunes from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," now the most successful entertainment venture in history, rounds out the evening.

November's "Halloween Spooktacular" reflects the OVS mission to bring great music played by great artists to southeast Ohio -- all while
making orchestral music easy to love. The public is encouraged to
attend OVS rehearsals for free at 7-10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, and 1-4
p.m. Nov. 8. Open rehearsals are an excellent way to grow comfortable with symphonic music. Young children unable to sit through an entire concert can benefit from time spent at the open rehearsal.

Tickets to the OVS "Halloween Spooktacular" are available through the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre at 426 Second Ave., Gallipolis. The box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays; and from 90
minutes before performances. Prices are $22, $20 for seniors and $10
for students. Call (740) 446-ARTS (2787). Tickets are also available
online at www.ohiovalleysymphony.org.

A mini subscription to the remaining four concerts in the 2008-09 Ohio Valley Symphony season is still available. Prices range from $40 for students up to $220 for family passes admitting two adults and as many children as they have in their families. Standard adult season tickets cost $80, seniors $72.

Funding for the Ohio Valley Symphony is provided by the Ann Carson
Dater Endowment. Further support is provided by the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.