Press

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    

November 19, 2009

UTICA SYMPHONY TO PERFORM ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERT

On Sunday, December 13, at 3:00 p.m., the Utica Symphony will present its third concert of the season at the Stanley Theater in a concert that will feature a combined High School chorus from Clinton, Holland Patent, Ilion, Herkimer, New Hartford and Proctor, and the Maestro Madness competition!

“Bringing the best of the holiday music to our audience is very special to us”, stated Music Director Charles Schneider. He continued “Each year, the number of high schools participating has increased and the enlarged Stanley Theater stage will easily accommodate the 300- voice chorus! Choral Directors Karen Corigliano, Mark Bunce, John Krause, Alicia Loomis, Patty Scaramella and Jenna Wratten have done their usual outstanding jobs of preparing their groups and it is really exciting to have them come together” added Schneider.

This concert is also a “side-by-side” program in that the most talented high school string players will be given the opportunity to perform with the our orchestra. These students will come from Clinton, New Hartford, Proctor and Whitesboro. Orchestra Directors Marlene Hawkins, Jeremy Ukena, T.J. McAveney and Sharon Wormwood have been rehearsing many weeks in preparation for this performance.

The concert is also a fund-raiser for the orchestra with our Maestro Madness segment of the program. This year’s candidates, all prominent members of our community are; Stephen Merren, Louis Tehan, Dr. Maria Cody-Jones and Symeon Tsoupelis, who will vie for the opportunity to conduct Leroy Anderson’s “Sleighride” on the final work of the program. “They will all try-out prior to the intermission and the audience will then be able to vote for their favorite conductor. Each vote coasts $1”, explained Schneider, adding “I certainly hope people from the entire Mohawk Valley join us for this exciting concert!”

For ticket information, please call the Stanley Theater box office at 724-4000. For additional information, please call the Utica Symphony Office at 732-5146.