Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra performs "Vienna to Leipzig- a Musical Journey"

The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra, conducted by Paul Niemisto, beings its 36th season with a program featuring Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony. The concert will be presented first on October 24th at 7:30 PM at Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 139 Mercy Drive, Faribault. The second performance will be October 25th at 3:00 PM at St. John’s Hall, St John’s Lutheran Church, 3rd Street West, Northfield.

The orchestra will start the concert with Beethoven’s Egmont Overture. Philip Stoltzfus will then be the featured soloist in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. A long-time CVRO member and resident of Northfield, Stoltzfus teaches at the University of St. Thomas and United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. He is a graduate of one of the first Suzuki programs in the country, the Preucil School of Music in Iowa City, IA. The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto stands as a major work in the violin repertoire and an orchestral mainstay of the early Romantic era.

The orchestra will conclude with Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, premiered in Vienna after his death, and, for a finale, of his “March Militaire.” Schubert is popular not only among listeners but also among musicians, for his very engaging compositional style. All works for this concert were written in the early 1800s, at the dawn of the “Romantic” era of music.

Both performances are open to the public and newcomers are always welcome! Patrons are encouraged to support the orchestra through suggested admission of $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and nobody will turned away because of an inability to pay. Tickets may be reserved by calling the Northfield Arts Guild at 507-645-8877.

Since 1979, the Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra has drawn players from a wide area, including Northfield, New Prague, Red Wing and Faribault. The performers are dedicated amateurs of all ages whose love for orchestral music encourages them to perform to high levels of artistic excellence.

The Community Resource Bank of Northfield sponsors the 2015-16 Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra season, and the Frandsen Bank also sponsors these October performances. The Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra is a program of the Northfield Arts Guild.

These activities are made possible in a part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from State’s general fund and its arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2004.

Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra is a program affiliated with the Northfield Arts Guild: northfieldartsguild.org