Message from the Maestra

Welcome to our 2010-11 MSO Season: “Celebrate the Symphony!”  We have now launched a new era with diverse programming designed to appeal to all of you.  As your new MSO Artistic Director and Conductor, we now enter into a season full of unique collaborations that are “Made in Michigan.” From the most famous Symphonic and Opera classics in partnership with Michigan choral groups to some fresh new jewels like Yeol eum Son, a new Van Cliburn Piano Competition winner, this season brings together many people! 

Throughout the year, you will hear the MSO perform major highlights including:  The  Romantic Sheherazade, a passionate musical illustration of A Tale of 1001 Nights by Rimsky Korsakov.  The Classic Nutcracker featuring Michigan’s own Grand Rapids Ballet.  The Jazzy Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin and The Powerful Planets by Gustav Holst, in an exciting, imaginative musical depiction of each planet enhanced by Shakespeare narration and video images from Space.

We feature wonderful soloists:  The season opens with Michael Wade Lee, the New York Tenor in November with a “voice of clarity and remarkable color" who sang in Puccini’s Madame Butterfly with MSO. Then you will hear the virtuosic Yeol eum Son who is the new Van Cliburn Piano Competition Silver Medalist in February; for our April concert you will hear four major soloists in Bruckner’s Te Deum: Tamara Haskin: Soprano, "offering a musico/dramatic performance of the highest caliber,"  Linda Pavelka: Mezzo-Soprano, who sang the role of Siegrune in Wagner’s Die Walküre with Daniel Barenboim, Patrick Marques: Tenor who sang the role of Walther in Wagner’s Tannhäuser with Houston Grand Opera, and Philip Skinner: Bass who has sung the role of Rambaldo in Puccini’s La Rondine with Michigan Opera Theatre. 

We highlight major choral groups at the MCFTA and around the Michigan area:  Music Society Chorale, Camerata and “Carmen Kids Chorus” with Director Jim Hohmeyer; Youth Honors Choirs with Director Linda Hohner; CMU Concert and Chamber Choirs with Director Dr. Nina Nash-Robertson; Dow High School Chamber Singers with Director Shirley Vincent-Rose; and Midland High School Meistersingers with Director Jennifer Breneman.

In addition, we have four special events:

• October 14, 2009:  MSO Music Appreciation with Dr. Etcyl Blair and me at MCFTA
• October 31, 2009: MSO Halloween Spooktacular Concert featuring Midland Community Band and guest musicians from MSO – Please join us dressed in your Halloween Costume for an exciting concert involving chills and thrills, featuring Midland’s Band Director: Gary Burgess.  This will be a fun and exciting event for the whole family!
• January 20, 2010:  MSO Music Appreciation with Dr. Etcyl Blair and me at MCFTA
• May 5, 2010:  MSO Music Appreciation with Dr. Etcyl Blair and me at MCFTA

Thanks you so much for all your loyal support as our audience members and subscribers to the MSO.  We do need your support now more than ever.  Also, we would so appreciate your help in bringing in new friends and subscribers to help sell out MSO each concert this season.  Once again, I am delighted to be continuing a new era with you and MSO together.  We hope our music and all the other artistic offerings at the Midland Center for the Arts will continue to bring joy and hope into your lives and to breathe light into your souls.

Musically yours,

Antonia Joy Wilson

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