Southern Georgia Symphony presents 'Requiem'
The event is the first of several Savannah concerts planned for 2006 season.
Amy Morris
(912) 652-0358
amy.morris@savannahnow.com
The newly-minted Southern Georgia Symphony presents a prelude to its 2006-2007 season Monday evening at the Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church.
The orchestra will perform Mozart's "Requiem" under the direction of Cheung Chau. The ensemble will be joined by the Georgia Southern University Chorale and soloists Tamara Watson Harper (soprano), Sarah Hancock (mezzo-soprano), Matthew Heil (tenor), and Allen Henderson (bass).
The SGS's unique model features a partnership with Georgia Southern University. Roughly half of the orchestra is composed of Georgia Southern University students. The other half is a composite of community volunteers, GSU faculty and paid talent drawn from Savannah, Athens, Augusta, Hilton Head Island, Jacksonville and Atlanta.
"Requiem" is the first of several concerts the SGS plans to perform in Statesboro and Savannah. SGS executive director Allen Henderson has lined up six performances for 2006-2007. The season begins Sept. 24 with "Slavic Passions" at the Lucas Theatre, and concludes May 1 with a tribute to Johnny Mercer at the Savannah Civic Center's Johnny Mercer Theatre.
This ambitious schedule has stirred a range of responses since the symphony was unveiled in late March.
Orchestra member Jonathan Aceto said while he's glad the ensemble is looking for ways to improve and expand, he's afraid the group is attempting too much too soon.
"Going from zero concerts in Savannah to a full series ... I don't know if the budget can handle that," he said. "Hopefully things go smoothly and everything works out for the best."
While students currently make up a sizeable portion of the symphony, Henderson envisions the group evolving to a two-tiered orchestra - one composed of mostly professionals, and one of students. However, he declined to estimate how many years it would take to get to that point.
"I don't want to get locked into a time, because then expectations are set up," he said. "Right now we're focused on the concert Monday night and the concerts for next year. We've gotten a positive response so far, and hope it will continue to be positive."
Barber's Adagio for Strings
The ballet, Adagio for Strings, choreographed for American Ballet Theatre by John Meehan to Barber's music, had its premiere at the Metropolitan Opera House, 8 April 1980.
Hear Barber at our Bach, Barber and Strauss Concert February 17 & 18, 2007 »
